Right to Transparency

You have the right to know exactly how your data is being used and which AI models are being trained on your contributions.

Quick answer Updated July 2026

The right to transparency means you can know how your data is used and which AI models are trained on your contributions. Today most AI companies do not disclose their training data, though the EU AI Act now requires training-data summaries for general-purpose models. The Human Data Rights Coalition advocates enforceable disclosure of what data trains a model and where it came from.

The Transparency Problem

Most AI companies do not disclose the specific data sources used to train their models. When you use social media, write online, or create content, you often have no way of knowing if your contributions end up training AI systems.

What Transparency Means

Data Source Disclosure

AI companies should be required to disclose the categories of data used for training, including whether they scraped public websites, licensed data, or used user-generated content from specific platforms.

Individual Notification

Individuals should be notified when their specific content is used for AI training, with clear information about what data was used and for what purpose.

Data Provenance

AI outputs should include provenance information - citations back to the data sources that contributed to specific responses. This creates accountability and enables compensation.

Current Requirements

  • EU AI Act: Requires disclosure of training data for high-risk AI systems
  • GDPR: Mandates transparency about automated decision-making
  • Colorado Algorithmic Accountability Law: Requires notice and explanation for high-risk AI

What We Advocate For

  • Mandatory disclosure of AI training data sources
  • Individual notification when personal data is used
  • Cryptographic provenance tracking for AI outputs
  • Regular audits of AI training practices
Join the Movement Next: Right to Opt Out →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if AI was trained on my data?
It is currently very difficult to know — most AI companies do not disclose their training datasets, though tools like "Have I Been Trained?" let you search some public image sets, and the EU AI Act now requires summaries of training data for general-purpose models. The Human Data Rights Coalition campaigns for a right to transparency, including disclosure of what data trained a model and where it came from.
What is AI transparency?
AI transparency is the principle that people have the right to know how AI systems use their data — which models are trained on their contributions, how decisions affecting them are made, and how to trace data provenance. It is one of the four fundamental human data rights.