How to Secure Your Data: 3 Privacy Steps for Meta AI Users

<p>I use a variety of <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-ai-chatbots" target="_self">AI chatbots</a> in my personal and professional lives, including Meta AI. Though not as popular as ChatGPT or Gemini, Meta AI pops up on Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as well as on its own dedicated website and app.</p><p>The problem here is that Meta has <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/meta-to-scrap-off-facebook-activity-feature-that-curbed-web-tracking" target="_self">a poor track record</a> of <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/meta-to-scrap-off-facebook-activity-feature-that-curbed-web-tracking" target="_self">respecting and protecting</a> your personal information, so periodic security reviews should extend to Meta AI, too. That’s not a simple task since Meta AI surfaces in so many places, but it is possible.</p><p>As just a few examples, you can delete or reset your chat history, limit third-party access and tracking, use Incognito Chat mode in WhatsApp and the Meta AI app, and request that your account and data be excluded from AI training. Here’s how I was able to better secure my privacy with Meta AI.</p><div class="mb-0 rounded-md bg-gray-100 p-3 md:p-5" id="related-video"> <div class="flex items-center"> <div class="w-6 flex-none"> <img class="w-full" src="/images/pcmag-simplified.png" alt="PCMag logo"> </div> <div class="pl-2 text-base leading-normal md:pl-3"> <strong>You May Also Like</strong> </div> </div> <div class="mt-3"> <div id="video-container-683dd703f27d5e38f3432230"></div> <script> window.videoEmbeds = window.videoEmbeds || []; let data = {}; data.excoPlayListId = '683dd703f27d5e38f3432230'; data.excoPlayListVideos = {"07c2d455-f6ca-5c57-879c-62783c04546c":"01ShQVccp9DImTjgQow1vz4","0a57163c-651b-57cc-b1d8-b6fb25aa9d99":"058hA68hr2G5uYsW5Df8GTK","1be1f928-69a8-4443-9e62-a519dcd0990a":"036T33pXBbNph3Z1TOhX5gd","21eb08c9-bb8c-51a7-b5b3-1c2ff52bd757":"00tF04aVX1W3ZZ6MLoqZEvS","2a77a4e8-390d-55a5-b057-7d2dbc596ac5":"00q0H2WVBFC1V1zMNwSaLSV","3034e1df-1cc2-444a-88fc-a5d0464614da":"07qJ9nMrfKmqbYLDPydaLfA","3204278f-e2da-5a69-837a-2318a3c74c56":"00so1afDS7No5sv3G6DzbYD","537687d9-f75d-52fd-8f6d-d8ba2bed9a95":"07xuqaQvj0qaC1bV1XWrnty","5dbe1201-6343-5f9b-86ef-7cfd854ae191":"02ifGXX7xk8wxdIqHD8J6xK","62bbb887-1d4c-52ae-bbfb-0ea9a32671ba":"03bwja6UUBqvZ6CwNwoMWCv","62be5cd3-a078-5b5b-81ae-67e7acc4bc72":"01luJLeHLZnZMrtVmXzmyag","787f538e-bd04-5a07-a28f-91ccbdd8fd6c":"05vLF31zfm033zJefVl7VQI","7e38f86a-94b3-589d-b44d-48938247f1ef":"07fVIwdFXcml8BQNubo1pR5","81764d63-7315-51eb-b195-96a619eae8b9":"03KaBEks8NEigsTvRcN1m2f","92279836-75cb-5985-995b-8963ccd1a9a3":"03mc58JLw6yyHuHv3ZQ7tTk","a0b49779-3886-59e0-a0b0-a2d9b17eaae2":"03SOXtE4XG3rV688rHMWGQ5","af4e7ea0-e894-53fd-a857-45d05994e123":"002mVf2yQRC6UdKqFSwwq5A","c28aa5ec-d6ef-52d4-a97e-962e70ce61fc":"04gKeoqBvc7ZilX3gDNw8Eo","ee7a1a52-8554-56de-bc2f-896d8648c8a4":"07BJ7uCzlhyJItLJg6RlgNe"};

window.videoEmbeds.push({ elemId: 'video-container-683dd703f27d5e38f3432230', data: data, videoPlayerType: 'related-contextual', variation: 'INJECTED', }); </script> </div> </div> <hr><h2 id="1-delete-your-meta-ai-chats">1. Delete Your Meta AI Chats</h2><p>If you'd like to remove your chats so that they can no longer be seen or used by Meta, you can delete individual prompts. On the website, hover over the chat you wish to remove, select the <strong>ellipsis icon,</strong> and click <strong>Delete</strong>. In the mobile app, tap the two-line icon at the top to open the sidebar, then press and hold the chat you wish to remove, then tap <strong>Delete</strong>.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20768%20432'%3E%3Crect%20fill='%23f7f7f7'%20/%3E%3C/svg%3E" class="" data-image-loader="https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-11.png" data-lazy-sized alt="Remove Selected Conversations from Meta AI at the website" data-image-path="articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-11.png"> <div style="line-height:1.25 !important" class="-mt-4 mb-8"> <small>(Credit: Meta/PCMag)</small> </div> <p>To delete all your chats, log into the <a href="https://www.meta.ai/" target="_blank" title="(Opens in a new tab)">Meta AI website</a>, click your account name at the bottom of the left sidebar, then select <strong>Settings ></strong> <strong>Data & privacy > Manage your information</strong>. Select<strong> Delete all chats and media > Delete all chats and media > Delete all</strong> to remove all past chats.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20768%20432'%3E%3Crect%20fill='%23f7f7f7'%20/%3E%3C/svg%3E" class="" data-image-loader="https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-2.png" data-lazy-sized alt="Check Your Privacy at the Meta AI website" data-image-path="articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-2.png"> <div style="line-height:1.25 !important" class="-mt-4 mb-8"> <small>(Credit: PCMag / Meta)</small> </div> <p>To do the same from the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/meta-ai/id1558240027" target="_blank" title="(Opens in a new tab)">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.facebook.stella&hl=en_US" target="_blank" title="(Opens in a new tab)">Android</a> app, select the two-line icon in the upper left and then tap the Settings gear icon at the bottom. Swipe down to the <strong>App settings</strong> section and tap <strong>Data & privacy > Manage your information</strong> to delete all your chats and media.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20768%20432'%3E%3Crect%20fill='%23f7f7f7'%20/%3E%3C/svg%3E" class="" data-image-loader="https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-4.png" data-lazy-sized alt="Check Your Privacy in the Meta AI App" data-image-path="articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-4.png"> <div style="line-height:1.25 !important" class="-mt-4 mb-8"> <small>(Credit: PCMag / Meta)</small> </div> <hr><h2 id="2-control-share-settings">2. Control Share Settings</h2><p>By default, your conversations with Meta AI remain private. If you decide to share any of your prompts publicly on social media, the company could suggest them on other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. To disable this feature, open <strong>Settings ></strong> <strong>Data & privacy > Suggesting your prompts on other apps</strong> (<strong>Suggesting your vibes on other apps </strong>in the mobile app)<strong> </strong>and then disable the switches for <strong>Facebook</strong> and <strong>Instagram</strong>.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20768%20432'%3E%3Crect%20fill='%23f7f7f7'%20/%3E%3C/svg%3E" class="" data-image-loader="https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-3.png" data-lazy-sized alt="Check Your Privacy at the Meta AI website" data-image-path="articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-3.png"> <div style="line-height:1.25 !important" class="-mt-4 mb-8"> <small>(Credit: PCMag / Meta)</small> </div> <p>In the app, you'll also have the <strong>Mentions</strong> option, where you can control who is able to mention you and link to your Meta account in their comments. 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data-image-loader="https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-6.png" data-lazy-sized alt="Check Your Privacy in the Meta AI App" data-image-path="articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-6.png"> <div style="line-height:1.25 !important" class="-mt-4 mb-8"> <small>(Credit: PCMag / Meta)</small> </div> <hr><h2 id="3-ask-to-be-removed-from-ai-training">3. Ask to Be Removed From AI Training</h2><p>By default, Meta uses your AI chats and other information (including third-party data) to train its models. Unlike <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/dont-want-contractors-reading-your-private-chatgpt-sessions-opt-out-now" target="_self">most other AI services</a>, you can’t simply opt out of this training. Instead, you must send a special request to Meta asking that certain third-party data not be used for AI training. And Meta makes the process as difficult as possible.</p><p>This type of request focuses on personal details such as your name, home address, phone number, or email address. The data in question can be available from the internet, third parties, or through products and services created by outside developers using Meta AI’s API.</p><p>Browse to the page called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/1266025207620918" target="_blank" title="(Opens in a new tab)">Data Subject Rights for Third Party Information Used for AI at Meta</a>. Here, choose your country and include your name and email address. You then must provide any prompts you sent to Meta AI that resulted in your personal information appearing in a response. You'll also need to provide a screenshot of the response. Once you've sent in the form, you'll need to wait to see if Meta approves your request. </p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20768%20432'%3E%3Crect%20fill='%23f7f7f7'%20/%3E%3C/svg%3E" class="" data-image-loader="https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-9.png" data-lazy-sized alt="Ask to Be Removed from AI Training" data-image-path="articles/02tJhM9frTyBDKgUeo5mHjS-9.png"> <div style="line-height:1.25 !important" class="-mt-4 mb-8"> <small>(Credit: PCMag / Meta)</small> </div>