Tantacrul Profile picture
I write music and create YouTube videos on a variety of musical topics. I am VP of product at https://t.co/R2XvG1x1cS, overseeing MuseScore, Audacity, Ultimate Guitar and others.

May 26, 12 tweets

1. I'm legit shocked by the design of @Meta's new notification informing us they want to use the content we post to train their AI models. It's intentionally designed to be highly awkward in order to minimise the number of users who will object to it. Let me break it down.

2. I should start by mentioning that I've worked in growth teams who conduct experiments to minimise friction for over a decade and I know how to streamline an experience. Rule: every additional step you add dramatically decrease the % of people who'll make it through to the end.

3. First step: you get this notification, just about satisfying the legal requirement to keep you informed but avoiding clearly defining its true purpose. Should include the line 'We intend to use your content to train our AI models' and should include a CTA that says 'Opt Out'.

4. Second step. It shows you this notice.

Trick: places the 'right to object' CTA towards the end of the second paragraph, using tiny hyperlink text, rather than a proper button style. Notice the massive 'Close' CTA at the bottom, where there's clearly room for two. Ugly stuff.

5. Also, notice the line that says "IF your objection is honoured, it will be applied going forwards."

Wow. "If". Don't see that too often. Legal safeguards aren't in place yet to protect us against AI training so they're pushing as far as possible, while they still can.

6. Third, they provide you with a form to fill out. It is only at this stage — the stage when you are objecting — that they inform you about which of your content they plan to use for training AI models. Notice the highlighted text, clarifying that they may ignore your objection.

7. Fourth step: you post your objection.

8. Fifth step: now you are told you need to check your email to grab a code they sent you.

I'd LOVE to hear their justification for this.

9. Sixth step: you open the email they send (which for me, arrived on time at least).

Notice the code is only valid for an hour. Now copy the code.

10. Seventh step: enter the code and get a confirmation message.

11. I later received an email letting me know that they would honour my objection.

I should mention that one of my friends who also objected got an error! I then checked out a Reddit thread which verified that many people also got this same error. Classic FB sloppiness.

@Meta @threadreaderapp unroll please

Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.

A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.

Keep scrolling