CAMPAIGNERS called on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to stop social media companies, acting as if they are “above the law,” from processing users’ data without consent.

The demand came after it surfaced that LinkedIn and X had been automatically opting users in to processing their data to train artificial intelligence (AI).

Earlier in the week, Facebook’s Meta resumed plans to process users’ data after being forced to engage with the ICO to make the opt-out process simpler.

Open Rights Group’s legal and policy officer Mariano delli Santi said: “The opt-out model proves once again to be wholly inadequate to protect our rights: the public cannot be expected to monitor and chase every single online company that decides to use our data to train AI. 

“Opt-in consent isn’t only legally mandated, but a common-sense requirement.”

He added: “The ICO need to investigate and take urgent action against Meta, X, LinkedIn and other companies that think they are above the law.”