Meta Sued Over Porn Downloads: AI Training or 'Personal Use'?

11/05/2025 Technology

Meta in Hot Water: Porn Downloads and AI Training?

So, Meta, the company that wants us all living in the metaverse, is facing some heat. They're being sued by a couple of adult film companies, Strike 3 Holdings and Counterlife Media, who are claiming that Meta illegally downloaded a bunch of porn videos. The accusation? Meta used these videos to train its AI models.

Meta's response? They're denying everything, of course. They've even filed a motion to dismiss the case. One of their arguments is that it's far more likely the downloads were for "private personal use." Basically, they're suggesting someone at Meta has a, shall we say, *particular* taste.

Now, Strike 3 Holdings isn't exactly known for being shy about copyright lawsuits. Apparently, they're quite aggressive when it comes to people torrenting their stuff. Think of them as the copyright police of the adult film world.

But here's where it gets interesting. Strike 3 claims to have found 47 IP addresses linked to Meta that were involved in torrenting their material. That sounds pretty suspicious, right? However, Meta isn't convinced. They're calling Strike 3's evidence "guesswork and innuendo."

Meta is arguing that the number of downloads is too small to be useful for AI training. They suggest it's just a few individuals indulging in some personal entertainment. It's like saying, "Come on, guys, it's not a conspiracy, just a few people with specific interests."

The company also stated that there is no plans to create an adult version of its AI video generator Movie Gen, adding that Strike 3 does not have any evidence of this and Meta’s own terms of service prohibit its models from generating pornographic content.

The plot thickens! Apparently, Strike 3 is also accusing the father of a Meta contractor of copyright infringement, based on downloads from his home IP address. Meta, in turn, is suggesting those downloads were for "personal consumption." If this case goes forward, that poor guy might have to explain his internet history in court. Talk about awkward!

Ultimately, whether Meta is guilty or not, this whole situation is a bit of a mess. It raises some serious questions about data collection, privacy, and what companies are doing with our information. And, of course, it's a reminder that even in the world of Big Tech, things can get a little... weird.