They just said laws, not privacy - the EU has introduced the "world's first comprehensive AI law". Even if it doesn't stop release of these models, it might be enough that the lawyers need extra time to review and sign off that it can be used without Meta getting one of those "7% of worldwide revenue" type fines the EU is fond of.

[0] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20230601STO...

Am I reading that right? It sounds like they’re outlawing advertising (“Cognitive behavioural manipulation of people”), credit scores (“classifying people based on behaviour, socio-economic status or personal characteristics”) and fingerprint/facial recognition for phone unlocking etc. (“Biometric identification and categorisation of people”)

Maybe they mean specific uses of these things in a centralised manner but the way it’s written makes it sound incredibly broad.

Well, exactly, and that's why IMO they'll end up pulling out the EU. There's barely any money in non-targeted ads.

If by "barely any money", you mean "all the businesses in the EU will still give you all their money as long as you've got eyeballs", then yes.

Facebook has shown me ads for both dick pills and breast surgery, for hyper-local events in town in a country I don't live in, and for a lawyer who specialises in renouncing a citizenship I don't have.

At this point, I think paying Facebook to advertise is a waste of money — the actual spam in my junk email folder is better targeted.

> IMO they'll end up pulling out the EU.

If only we’d be so lucky. I don’t thing they will, but fingers crossed.

If it's more money than it costs to operate, I doubt it. There's plenty of businesses in the EU buying ads and page promotion still.