A Northern firm specializing in data privacy claims has initiated onboarding clients for a potential class action against tech giants Microsoft and Google. The firm, Barings Law, alleges that these companies are unlawfully collecting and using personal data to train artificial intelligence (AI).
Barings Law's investigation has uncovered extensive data misuse, including the collection of user voices, demographics, app usage time, and personal details like email addresses. The firm believes that a significant amount of this data is being used for training various AI models.
The firm has launched a national marketing campaign inviting anyone with a Microsoft or Google account to join the lawsuit, which is expected to commence in early 2025. With over 1.6 billion active Windows devices and 1.8 billion Gmail users, the scale of the lawsuit is considerable.
Adnan Malik, Head of Data Breach at Barings Law, emphasized the importance of privacy in the age of AI. He stated, 'Individuals have the right to know what data is being stored and how it is used.' He also criticized the current state of data collection, likening it to stealing valuable commodities.
This legal action reflects a growing global concern regarding data privacy, paralleling similar lawsuits in the United States, including one against OpenAI and Microsoft for alleged data scraping to train AI. Barings Law aims to lead the charge in protecting user data rights in the UK.