Source: WIRED
Meta is leveraging network effects to harvest detailed profiles not just of users, but of their entire contact lists—a strategy that treats people's social graphs as raw material for AI training. The privacy extraction happens at scale through a free product millions have already downloaded, making opting out nearly impossible for anyone wanting to use the tool itself. Meta has shifted from monetizing attention to monetizing relational data, where your contacts become valuable assets whether they consent or not.