Elon Musk's X to collect biometric, school, and job data
What's the story
Elon Musk-owned X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter, has updated its privacy policy to permit the collection of biometric data from users. The micro-blogging platform, with consent, may gather and utilize biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes. However, X has not provided specifics on how this data will be collected or used, sparking concerns about data privacy and protection.
Details
Personal data will be used to recommend job opportunities
In addition to biometric data, X also plans to collect information about users' employment and education histories. According to the revised privacy policy, this personal data will be used to recommend potential job opportunities, share with prospective employers, enable employers to find candidates and display more relevant advertising to users. Social media companies continue to face scrutiny over their data collection practices and the latest move by X will likely draw criticism from users and regulators.
Effect
Changes made following class-action lawsuit
Previously, X's privacy policy did not mention biometric data or job and employment history. The changes follow a proposed class-action lawsuit earlier this year that accused X of improperly capturing, storing, and using Illinois residents' biometric data without consent. The suit alleged that X failed to adequately inform individuals about its collection and storage of biometric identifiers in photographs containing faces uploaded to the platform.