PL SA cooperates with online platforms to increase the protection in relation to false advertising
The President of the Personal Data Protection Office Mirosław Wróblewski, in cooperation with the Irish Data Protection Commission (hereinafter: DPC), is actively engaged in dialogue with representatives of social media platforms in order to develop solutions that comply with personal data protection principles and will translate into a higher level of protection for users of online platforms.
The aim of the measures taken by the Personal Data Protection Office is to combat the phenomenon known as ‘celeb bait’, a type of online fraud that involves using the image of famous people and other social media users without their consent for illegal purposes, such as extorting personal data, money, or other benefits. Very often, in order to reinforce the sensational message and increase interest in this type of content, it is modified using ‘deepfake’ technology. “Deepfake” refers to AI-generated or modified materials (images, sounds, videos) that are strikingly similar to real people, objects, places, or events, which may mislead the viewer by suggesting their authenticity.
The Personal Data Protection Office, together with the DPC, actively cooperates with entities implementing solutions aimed at eliminating such practices. For example, UODO actively engages with Meta, which has implemented tools to protect the images of well-known people and social media users from scam ads used by fraudsters. This solution is based on a secure, separate database developed on the basis of profiles of famous people created on Meta's social media platforms. If an image included in the database is detected in a scanned advertisement, an appropriate procedure will be initiated, after which the material will be removed.
The mechanism is to operate with the prior consent and knowledge of the person whose image is to be stored in the database. Before expressing their consent, users will be informed about how the system works, what purposes it serves, and how data will be stored in it.
This tool is intended to strengthen the protection of both the individuals whose images are being used and the users who, influenced by such information, may provide their data or money to fraudsters. Users who are concerned about the misuse of their data in celebrity bait ads are encouraged to report the issue to Meta by clicking the three dots next to the relevant ad in their feed, selecting "Report ad," and following the on-screen instructions.
The President of the Personal Data Protection Office intends to continue cooperation with representatives of social media platforms and data protection officers in order to develop solutions that, in accordance with the principles of personal data protection, will translate into a higher level of protection for users of social media platforms. The Polish data protection authority is open to cooperation with platform operators who strive to improve personal data protection in their services.
At the same time, the President of the Personal Data Protection Office considers each complaint individually, striving to apply the most effective methods of legal protection of data subjects’ rights.