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Scale AI is facing five complaints over claims that it tracks workers on its Outlier platform. European digital privacy advocacy group noyb has filed these complaints against the AI company in France, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria on Tuesday. The main objective of the lawsuit is that Scale AI monitors freelance workers who produce training data for AI models.
Outlier hires freelance workers to help train AI systems for clients, including Meta, OpenAI and Google. According to the complaints, the platform records workers’ keystrokes and mouse movements every few seconds to track their working process. This data could then be used to recreate their computer sessions. Notably, the platform has more than 900,000 freelancers working on different sections.
The group has also raised concerns about identity checks on the platform. Workers are often asked to share their ID documents and face videos to prove who they are. The complaints refer to research that found as many as 19 trackers recording activity on the platform.
The group wants regulators to look into these practices and consider fines. Scale AI did not immediately comment on the claims. The complaints are allegations, and regulators have yet to decide whether any rules were broken.
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Platforms sometimes ask for IDs for verification or a face video of a worker to make sure the account is real. This helps platforms prevent fake accounts. However, this information needs careful handling. Face data may also receive extra protection if it is used to identify someone through biometric checks.
Under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, companies must explain why they collect personal data and have a valid reason for using it. They should collect only what they need, keep it safe, and limit access to people who require it for their work.
The complaints against Scale AI have raised a wider concern about worker privacy in the AI industry. Regulators will review the claims and decide whether the platform’s practices follow European data protection rules.
