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AIAAIC-1075

Brave rapped for covertly selling user data for AI development

Privacy-focused web browser Brave appeared to sell data about its users without their knowledge or permission to third-parties developing AI systems, leading to accusations of hypocrisy and ethical misconduct. The allegations were first highlighted by Alex Ivanovs of Stack Diary, who claimed that Brave's Search API allowed access to copyrighted content without proper licensing for AI training purposes. Critics argue that this practice undermines Brave's stated commitment to user privacy and raises questions about the legality of using such data without explicit permission from users or content creators. Search Engine Journal noted , 'The brewing controversy highlights tensions around using personal data to advance AI capabilities versus respecting data privacy and ownership rights. It underscores the need for clear communication and user consent regarding sharing their information.' System 🤖 Brave 🔗 Documents 📃 Brave Terms of Use Brave (2023). Brave releases its Search API, bringing independence and competition to the search landscape O perator: Brave Software Developer: Brave Software Country: USA Sector: Multiple Purpose: Share search results Technology: Machine learning Issue: Copyright ; Privacy; Tran sparency

Date it happened
2023-07-01
Organisation involved
Brave Software
Product, system or model
Brave Search API
Where this came from
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