Elon Musk’s X platform has announced that it will introduce a new security feature, collecting users’ “biometric information”, as part of its premium subscription plan. The former Twitter, now known as X, sent push notifications to users, urging them to review the updated policy. The new policy, effective September 29th, includes disclosures regarding the collection of job history and personal data. The privacy policy states that, with user consent, X may collect and utilize biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes. Additionally, X may collect and leverage personal information such as employment and educational history, skills, job search activity, and engagement for recommending potential jobs, sharing with prospective employers, aiding employers in finding candidates, and displaying relevant advertising.
The previous version of X’s privacy policy did not mention biometric data or job history. A spokesperson for X clarified that the reference to biometric information pertains to a feature exclusive to premium users. Elon Musk, who aims to eliminate bots from the platform, currently offers “verified” blue checkmarks only to premium subscribers. Earlier this year, Musk received backlash for revoking verification status from unpaid users. The X spokesperson explained that the platform will introduce a verification layer where users can submit their government ID and a selfie, allowing the extraction of biometric data from both for matching purposes. This process will enhance security, combat impersonation attempts, and tie user accounts to real individuals.
Musk, while committed to removing bots from X, has also criticized Meta’s privacy practices, taking a dig at Threads’ data collection disclosures during the rival app’s launch in July. X has not provided specific details about what it means by “biometric information.” In a separate announcement, Musk revealed that X plans to offer video and audio calls without the need for a phone number.
Biometric information generally refers to data associated with users’ fingerprints, eye scans, and facial features, as used by other companies like Apple, which offers the Face ID feature for phone unlocking, and various apps that enable fingerprint log-ins. X recently made updates to its privacy policy.
In another development, Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency token co-founded by Sam Altman of OpenAI, employs iris scanning through a “biometric verification device” called an “Orb” to generate a unique “World ID” for each user. This practice has raised concerns about data privacy and the potential creation of a black market for biometric information.
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