Elon Musk’s X Announces Changes To Policy That Rattle Community

I really like Elon Musk and what he has done for free speech on the X social media platform.

Despite this, a recent change in the company’s terms and service has the X community rattled, and rightly so.

According to the newly updated policies, X will begin collecting users’ biometric data beginning this month—on September 29th to be exact.

Sources claim that this will enable X to conduct and assist in job searches, as well as secure the platform from bot swarms and automated user accounts.

The collection of biometric data is also completely voluntary and will function on an opt-in, opt-out basis exclusively for premium users.

Although the measures are currently voluntary, one can’t help but feel that they may not be so voluntary in the future.

Best-selling author and journalist Annie Jacobsen, who has long warned of such data collection schemes, had one simple statement for readers: “Told you.”

Told you👇

“X…will collect biometric data on its users, such as a photograph of their face.”

If this bothers you tremendously, you should read FIRST PLATOON to learn how it all began (hint: in the war theater). https://t.co/kqpTUdEWuR

— Annie Jacobsen (@AnnieJacobsen) September 3, 2023

The Epoch Times explained: “The updated policy does not define “biometric information” although the term usually pertains to an individual’s physical characteristics such as fingerprints, or facial or retinal measurements.”

The updated policy does not define "biometric information" although the term usually pertains to an individual's physical characteristics such as fingerprints, or facial or retinal measurements. https://t.co/2dotuTRPTI

It is also not clear how the platform plans to collect such…

— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) September 1, 2023

BBC News had the scoop and provided a summary of the new policy:

It [the policy] states: “We may collect and use your personal information (such as your employment history, educational history, employment preferences, skills and abilities, job search activity and engagement, and so on) to recommend potential jobs for you, to share with potential employers when you apply for a job, to enable employers to find potential candidates, and to show you more relevant advertising.”

X News Daily, an outlet that tracks news and developments related to the X social media platform, provided excerpts from the updated policy.

NEWS: X has updated its privacy policy to specify that X may collect biometric data (eg face, eyes and fingerprints).

This is likely tied to efforts to improve security and ID verification.

It also changed to note that X may use employment history etc for @XHiring job search. pic.twitter.com/Vxw23yThIF

— X News Daily (@xDaily) August 31, 2023

The Open Rights Group asked: “Would you trust Elon Muck with your biometric data?”

Would you trust Elon Muck with your biometric data?

With a history of complying with requests from authoritarian regimes, Musk's record will give human rights defenders and marginalised communities cause for alarm with this data grab. #privacyhttps://t.co/HNHfF9pUNS

— Open Rights Group (@OpenRightsGroup) September 4, 2023

Business Insider added:

Back in July, a proposed class action lawsuit was brought against X, accusing it of storing biometric data without users’ consent.

The plaintiff alleged that X collected and stored identifying information from every photo with a face in it that was uploaded to the platform.