X, Elon Musk’s social media platform formerly known as Twitter, is expanding the amount of data it collects on users by updating its privacy policy so that it can begin gathering data ranging from people’s biometric data and employment history.
The new policy for Twitter/X says it will use collected biometric data for “safety, security, and identification purposes.”
“Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” the social media platform’s updated privacy policy states.
Elon Musk looks puzzled (Anadolu Agency/Getty)
The policy does not include any details on what kind of biometric information X will collect — or how the platform plans to obtain it — but collecting such information typically involves fingerprints, iris patterns, or facial features, according to a report by the Verge.
Last month, Twitter/X was named in a proposed class action lawsuit over claims that its data collection violates the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.
Notably, the lawsuit claims that Musk’s social media platform “has not adequately informed individuals” that it “collects and/or stores their biometric identifiers in every photograph containing a face” that gets uploaded to the site.
In addition to collecting users’ biometric data, Twitter/X’s updated privacy policy also states that the platform will gather information regarding people’s job applications and recommendations.
“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,” the policy reads.
This data collection is likely related to the platform’s new job search feature. As Breitbart News previously reported:
Per the screenshot shared by X’s account, job ads will appear underneath a verified account’s bio section, allowing users who navigate to the account’s page to see the ad. The screenshot also shows a separate page for all jobs listed by an account, which users can navigate to from the account’s homepage.
Musk first hinted at X’s new feature in a post in May. Responding to a user’s suggestion for a dating function on the platform, Musk responded “interesting idea, maybe jobs too.”
Breitbart News will continue to report on Twitter/X.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.