X’s Privacy Policy has been updated to include the collection of biometric data and employment history from certain users.
Elon Musk’s X Platform to Collect Biometric Data and More
Exciting news from Elon Musk’s newly-renamed X platform! Starting next month, the platform will begin collecting biometric data and information from some users. This includes employment and education history, which will be used for safety, security, and identification purposes.
According to the updated privacy policy, this data collection will begin on Sept. 29, pending user consent.
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The updated policy does not explicitly define ”biometric information,” but it typically refers to physical characteristics like fingerprints or facial and retinal measurements. It remains unclear how the platform plans to collect this information.
X has been contacted for further comment by The Epoch Times.
“To use some of our products and services, you need to have an account and provide us with certain information,” states the policy. “Likewise, if you use our paid products and services, we require payment information. Certain information is necessary to access many of our offerings.”
In addition to biometric data, X also plans to gather information about users’ work and education history for recommendation purposes. This aligns with the platform’s new recruitment tool, X Hiring, which was recently launched for verified organizations.
“We may collect and use your personal information, such as employment history and skills, to recommend potential jobs, enable employers to find candidates, and show you more relevant advertising,” states the privacy policy.
Policy Will ‘Help Fight Impersonation Attempts’
In addition to the new data collection, X already collects location data, payment information, IP addresses, usage data, and interactions with third-party content. This information is used to improve products and services, conduct research, and enhance user safety and security.
The updated policy also mentions using collected information, along with publicly available data, to train machine learning and artificial intelligence models.
A spokesperson for X confirmed the policy change to Bloomberg. The collection of biometric data will apply to X Premium users, who have a monthly subscription, and will provide an option for additional verification through government ID and a picture.
“This will help us tie an account to a real person and fight impersonation attempts, making the platform more secure,” the spokesperson explained.
These policy updates are in line with other social media platforms like Meta’s Facebook and come as X faces a lawsuit alleging wrongful capture and use of biometric data without consent.
The Epoch Times has reached out to X for further comment on the lawsuit.
“The announcement acknowledges that X will be doing what other social networks have been doing in a more covert fashion,” said Stephen Wicker, a data privacy expert at Cornell University, in an interview with CBS News.
Policy ‘Sets a Dangerous Precedent’
However, Jacopo Pantaleoni, a former engineer and research scientist, expressed concerns about the new privacy rules. He believes they “set a dangerous precedent” by potentially eroding online privacy and enabling targeted advertising and tailored news distribution.
Shortly after the policy update, Elon Musk announced on X that users would soon be able to make video and audio calls without sharing their phone numbers. This feature will be available on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC.
“X is the effective global address book,” Musk stated. “That set of factors is unique.”
Mr. Musk initially
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