The social media platform formerly known as Twitter, now rebranded as X, has recently come under scrutiny for its decision to collect biometric details, as well as job and education data, from its users. In a newly-released privacy policy, X states that it plans to use this collected information, along with any publicly available data, to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models.
The privacy policy clearly outlines the company’s intentions to utilize the information it gathers to assist in the training of its machine learning algorithms. The policy states, “We may use the information we collect and publicly available information to help train our machine learning or artificial intelligence models for the purposes outlined in this policy.”
While X’s CEO, Elon Musk, has tried to downplay concerns by assuring users that only publicly available information will be collected, there is no definitive information regarding the scope and purpose of the data collection. X no longer has a press arm, making it difficult to obtain more concrete details about the specific data and information that will be gathered and how it will be utilized.
Although X has not publicly expressed any specific AI ambitions, Musk, known for his interest in AI and technology, recently founded a company called xAI, with the goal of understanding the true nature of the universe. It is possible that the biometric data and related information collected by X could be used to support this ambitious venture. Stackdiary, a tech news outlet, points to xAI’s statement that they will work closely with X to make progress towards their mission.
Another possible use for the collected data could be related to X’s recent statement regarding the “cringe” nature of employment site LinkedIn and their intention to create a more appealing alternative. This suggests that X may be collecting users’ job and education histories to develop a job listing feature that will rival LinkedIn.
Finally, there is the potential for X to monetize the collected user data. Selling user data has become a standard practice in the social media industry, but there is no concrete evidence to suggest that X is engaging in this practice. Historically, Twitter (now X) primarily used user data for its own internal purposes and not for third-party sales.
In conclusion, X’s decision to collect biometric details, job and education data from its users has raised concerns about privacy and the potential uses of this information. While the company’s privacy policy indicates that the data will be used to train AI models, the specific details and purposes of this data collection remain unclear. It is possible that the data will be used to support Musk’s venture into understanding the universe or to develop a job listing feature. However, there is no evidence to suggest that X plans to sell user data to third parties. As with any data collection practices, users should always exercise caution and carefully review privacy policies to understand how their information is being used.
