Reddit Accused of Selling User Data for Artificial Intelligence Training

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About the Author

By Ryan Daws | February 19, 2024
https://twitter.com/gadget_ry

Categories: Artificial Intelligence, Companies, Development, Ethics & Society, Privacy

Ryan Daws is a senior editor at TechForge Media with over a decade of experience in crafting compelling narratives and making complex topics accessible. His articles and interviews with industry leaders have earned him recognition as a key influencer by organizations like Onalytica. Under his leadership, publications have been praised by analyst firms such as Forrester for their excellence and performance.

Connect with him on X (@gadget_ry), Bluesky (@gadgetry.bsky.social), and/or Mastodon (@gadgetry@techhub.social)

Reddit Negotiates Deal to Allow Data Use for AI Training

According to a Bloomberg report, Reddit has negotiated a content licensing deal that will allow its data to be used for training AI models. This move comes just ahead of the platform’s potential $5 billion initial public offering (IPO) debut in March.

As part of this reported $60 million deal with an undisclosed major AI company, Reddit’s vast trove of user-generated content could be used to train and enhance existing large language models (LLMs) or provide the foundation for the development of new generative AI systems. This data includes posts from popular subreddits, comments from both prominent and obscure users, and discussions on a wide range of topics.

While Reddit has yet to confirm the deal, this decision could have significant implications. The use of user-generated content for AI training raises questions about the ethics of using public data, art, and other human-created content in AI systems.

The Potential Impact on Users

If true, this decision by Reddit may not sit well with its user base. The company has faced increasing opposition from its community regarding recent business decisions. Last year, when Reddit announced plans to start charging for access to its application programming interfaces (APIs), thousands of Reddit forums temporarily shut down in protest.

Days later, a group of Reddit hackers threatened to release previously stolen site data unless the company reversed the API plan or paid a ransom of $4.5 million. These incidents demonstrate that users are growing increasingly concerned about their data and how it is being used by the platform.

Reddit has recently made other controversial decisions, such as removing years of private chat logs and messages from users’ accounts. The platform also implemented new automatic moderation features and removed the option for users to turn off personalized advertising, fuelling additional discontent among its users.

The Ethics of Using Public Data in AI Systems

This latest reported deal to sell Reddit’s data for AI training could generate even more backlash from users as the debate over the ethics of using public data, art, and other human-created content to train AI systems continues to intensify across various industries and platforms.

While the potential benefits of using user-generated content for AI training are significant, including improved model performance and increased efficiency, it is essential to consider the implications on individual users and the broader community. This includes ensuring transparency, consent, and fairness in data collection and use practices.

Related Events and Opportunities

For those interested in learning more about AI and big data from industry leaders, there are several upcoming events and opportunities available:

AI & Big Data Expo: Taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London, this comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

Additional Reading

For a deeper understanding of the topic, consider reading:

"Amazon trains 980M parameter LLM with ’emergent abilities’"
"Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders?"

Conclusion

Reddit’s decision to sell its data for AI training raises questions about the ethics of using public data in AI systems. While this move may provide a potential revenue stream, it is essential to consider the implications on individual users and the broader community.

As the debate over the ethics of AI continues to intensify, it is crucial that companies prioritize transparency, consent, and fairness in data collection and use practices. By doing so, we can ensure that AI systems are developed and deployed responsibly, benefiting both individuals and society as a whole.