AI firms use same deceptive opt-out tactics as data brokers to confuse users, study finds
A study by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) found that major AI companies like Google, Meta, and OpenAI use deceptive opt-out tactics to prevent users from stopping the sale or sharing of their personal data, with some like OpenAI offering no opt-out method at all. The report highlights manipulative design flaws across 38 data companies, including buried links, forced account creation, and misleading default settings, raising concerns about user safety and regulatory oversight.
A new study by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) reveals that leading AI firms, including Google, Meta, and OpenAI, employ the same deceptive tactics as data brokers to obstruct users from opting out of data-sharing practices. The report, published last week, found that opt-out forms are either buried in fine print, missing from homepages, or entirely inaccessible, such as OpenAI’s lack of a functional opt-out process for personal data sales. EPIC’s audit of 38 major data companies identified eight types of manipulative design, including forms that don’t actually allow opt-outs, forced account creation, and subscription requirements before users can exercise their rights. For example, Meta, X, and Tinder require users to log in before opting out, while Palantir, TikTok, and Amazon provide privacy forms but exclude options to opt out of data sales entirely. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, only offers a tool to remove personal information from ChatGPT responses—not the underlying data used for training or sharing. The company acknowledged sharing limited data with marketing partners for targeted advertising but claimed users can control data usage directly in their apps. EPIC criticized such practices, citing risks like the 2025 murder of U.S. lawmaker Melissa Hortman, where a suspect allegedly used data brokers to locate victims. The study also examined dating apps like Bumble, where users are defaulted into data-sharing unless they manually deselect toggles, with the ‘Do Not Sell’ option misleadingly styled as pre-selected. Amazon disputed EPIC’s findings, stating it does not sell personal data and defaults users to opt-out status. Regulators are urged to intervene, as weak opt-out policies enable opaque data trading that endangers vulnerable groups, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and marginalized communities. EPIC’s report underscores systemic issues in AI and tech industries, where manipulative design undermines consumer rights. The nonprofit calls for stricter oversight to ensure transparency and respect for user privacy, warning that current practices facilitate unsafe data exploitation.
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