Meta Argues That Downloaded Adult Content In AI Lawsuit Was for ‘Personal Use’

Moreover, Meta asserts that the purported activity cannot reliably be linked to any employee of the company.

Meta stated that Strike 3 “fails to identify any individuals who allegedly used these Meta IP addresses, does not claim any were Meta employees or had any involvement in AI training, nor does it specify whether (or which) content claimed to be downloaded was used to train any specific Meta model.”

Meta argued that “tens of thousands of employees,” along with “countless contractors, visitors, and third parties access the internet at Meta daily.” Therefore, while it’s theoretically “possible one or more Meta employees” downloaded content from Strike 3 in the last seven years, it is equally plausible that a “guest, or freeloader,” or any “contractor, vendor, or repair person—or any combination of such individuals—was responsible for that activity,” according to Meta.

Another claim suggested that a Meta contractor was instructed to download adult content at his father’s residence, but Meta contended that those downloads also “clearly indicate personal use.” This contractor, identified as an “automation engineer,” had no apparent reason to gather AI training data in that capacity, Meta pointed out. “No facts reasonably connect” “Meta to those downloads,” claims Meta.

Meta noted, “The fact that the torrenting allegedly ceased when his contract with Meta ended does not provide any insight into whether this activity was done with Meta’s knowledge or instruction.”

Meta Critiques AI Training Theory as “Illogical”

Perhaps the most perplexing element for Meta in Strike 3’s complaint is the allegation regarding the “stealth network” of hidden IPs. Meta claims this presents “yet another puzzle” that Strike 3 “fails to resolve,” stating, “Why would Meta choose to ‘hide’ certain supposed downloads of Plaintiffs’ and third-party content while using easily traceable corporate IP addresses for many hundreds of others?”

Meta asserted, “The clear answer is that it would not do so,” dismissing Strike 3’s “entire AI training theory” as “illogical and unfounded.”