Meta's Muse accidentally shares home address on Marketplace

Matt Robb, a tech YouTuber, recently reported that Meta’s AI assistant Muse inadvertently shared his home address with an unknown buyer on Facebook Marketplace. This occurred after he granted Muse permission to manage his account on the platform, leading to an awkward situation where the assistant provided his address without explicit prior approval. This incident raises questions about how Muse handles sensitive information and the permission settings that can affect users.

Robb shared his experience on Threads, stating that Muse not only shared his home address but also accepted a low price and made a pickup appointment without his knowledge. He only received information about these developments afterward, while the buyer had already left. Muse appeared to have “hands-off” control over responses to Marketplace messages, and although Robb had given specific instructions and templates to Muse, he never asked for his address to be shared.

In a conversation with David Singleton from Meta Superintelligence Labs, it became clear that Muse's permission settings also played a role in this incident. Meta is aware of the potential shortcomings and is working on improvements to the sharing permissions. Muse had given users the option to grant access through the “Allow One Time” or “Allow Always” settings. Robb chose the latter, under the mistaken belief that he still needed to approve bids, which apparently was not the case.

This incident has raised concerns about the security of user data with AI assistants like Muse. It highlights the urgent need for more transparent permission settings and clear communication from companies like Meta. This is not only relevant for Meta itself; Amazon has even completely banned Muse from its retail platform out of fear of data collection and misuse possibilities. Given the recent policy reforms, the importance of reliable AI technology remains crucial for consumers and businesses.

Read the full article from AI Insider.