Data laundering
{{Orphan|date=May 2017}}
Data laundering is the conversion of stolen data so that it may be sold or used by ostensibly legitimate databases. ZDNet has described the process as "obscuring, removing, or fabricating the provenance of illegally obtained data such that it may be used for lawful purposes".{{cite web|last1=O'Neill|first1=Rob|title=Cybercriminals boost sales through 'data laundering'|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/cyber-criminals-boost-sales-through-data-laundering/|website=ZDNet|access-date=4 May 2017}}
Notable cases
LAION, Stable Diffusion and other AI image generators have been accused of data laundering by the artists whose work has been used to train these programs.{{cite web|url=https://machine-learning-made-simple.medium.com/data-laundering-how-stability-ai-managed-to-get-millions-of-copyrighted-artworks-without-paying-184239bc2d8e|title=Data Laundering: How Stability AI managed to get millions of copyrighted artworks without paying artists|author=Devansh|publisher=Medium|date=14 August 2023}}{{cite book|url=https://systemicalternatives.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/rs-09-ai-1.pdf|chapter=The controversy of AI art theft|title=The Amazing Artificial Intelligence|first=Mary Louise|last=Malig|date=9 April 2023|publisher=Systemic Alternatives}} However, several court cases have ruled that the acquisition of these images for the purpose of training AI engines does not violate existing copyright law,{{cite web|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/artists-beaten-back-in-california-lawsuit-against-ai-image-generators/|title=Artists beaten back in California lawsuit against AI image generators|first=Michael|last=Gennaro|date=30 October 2023|work=Courthouse News Service}}{{cite web|url=https://www.311institute.com/artists-copyrights-claims-agains-generative-ai-companies-mostly-dismissed/|title=Artists' Copyright Claims Against Generative AI Companies Mostly Dismissed|first=Matthew|last=Griffin|date=3 November 2023|work=311 Institute}} so the term data laundering in these cases is inappropriate.