The Digital Press

WhatsApp has introduced a new AI chatbot feature in its app that is labeled as "entirely optional" but cannot be removed or disabled by users, causing frustration and privacy concerns.

Why it matters: Users feel forced to interact with an AI tool they cannot turn off, raising privacy and consent issues.

The big picture: Meta's AI uses data, including controversial sources, to train its models, amid ongoing legal and ethical debates.

The stakes: End-to-end encryption remains, but data shared with the AI may be used to improve Meta's systems, risking personal privacy.

Commenters say: Many express frustration over the inability to disable the AI, worry about privacy violations, and criticize Meta's handling of user data.