Twitter, now X, will begin collecting users’ biometric data | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The policy, which takes effect Sept. 29, follows intense scrutiny over Twitter's lack of account authentication and fraud on the platform.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/twitter-x-user-biometric-data\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Twitter, now X, will begin collecting users' biometric data\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The policy, which takes effect Sept. 29, follows intense scrutiny over Twitter's lack of account authentication and fraud on the platform.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/twitter-x-user-biometric-data\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-08-31T15:54:02+00:00\"> <meta 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<button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"26.0734870317\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"32.364016736402\">\n<p> The policy, which takes effect Sept. 29, follows intense scrutiny over Twitter’s lack of account authentication and fraud on the platform. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg 1940w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=300,199 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=1024,681 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=1536,1021 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=600,399 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=253,168 253w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=507,337 507w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=1015,675 1015w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data-1.jpg?resize=1268,843 1268w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1015px) 100vw, 1015px\"><figcaption> X, formerly known as Twitter, will begin collecting user biometric data. (Photo by Matt Cardy\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"56.962323390895\"><body readability=\"114.51979414093\"><\/p>\n<p>Elon Musk\u2019s X Corp., the company formerly known as Twitter, released an updated privacy policy stating that it will start seeking user consent to collect biometric data for \u201csafety, security and identification purposes.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The policy, which takes effect Sept. 29, follows intense scrutiny over X\u2019s lack of account authentication and rampant fraud across the platform. <\/p>\n<p>An X spokesperson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2023-08-31\/x-plans-to-collect-user-biometric-data-job-and-education-history\">told Bloomberg<\/a>, which first reported the news, that the biometric policies are for premium users and that a biometric matching process \u201cwill also help X fight impersonation attempts and make the platform more secure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, the move to offer users the chance to provide government IDs for identity matching or verification using biometric data creates a number of risks in itself, critics say. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThis kind of data collection is becoming more common on platforms and most people aren\u2019t aware of the way it affects their privacy and free expression rights,\u201d says Nora Benavidez, senior counsel and director of digital justice and civil rights at the nonprofit Free Press. \u201cIn particular, one of my concerns is that Musk has a tendency to comply with requests for information from authoritarian regimes, even more than his predecessors. I can imagine a likely scenario where personal and permanent information about us that this platform is collecting is given to some regime that seeks it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biometric data, which can include information like face scans and eye scans, is considered incredibly sensitive because, unlike a password or Social Security Number, it is permanent. That permanence means that misuse can have life-lasting effects on an individual. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis policy currently is quite vague,\u201d says Benavidez. \u201cWe don\u2019t know what biometric data means. It could mean eye scans or other kinds of permanent personal tendencies.\u201d She also noted concerns about the potential discriminatory impact of biometric matching technologies, which have historically had much higher false positives for people of color.<\/p>\n<p>Despite a lack of federal protections for biometric data, its collection has resulted in a history of legal trouble for major tech companies. Both Google and Meta have also incurred significant damages in the state of Illinois over their biometric collection practices. <\/p>\n<p>Last month, X was named in a proposed class action lawsuit <a href=\"https:\/\/cookcountyrecord.com\/stories\/647065890-twitter-newest-target-in-il-biometrics-class-action-over-photodna-scans-to-screen-out-porn\">claiming the company violated<\/a> Illinois\u2019 Biometric Information Privacy Act by not providing individuals with adequate notice that it was collecting biometric data. Tesla, where Musk is also CEO, was <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/privacy-and-data-security\/tesla-hit-with-biometric-privacy-suit-over-alleged-face-scans\">also hit with a biometric privacy lawsuit <\/a>in Illinois last year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Benavidez said that Musk\u2019s policy changes at X have had a \u201cdomino effect\u201d on other platforms and expressed concern that the company\u2019s move into biometrics could inspire other companies to follow suit. \u201cI\u2019m worried that in this landscape of many gaps in privacy policy protections around the globe \u2014 and especially in the U.S. \u2014 if other companies start gathering more biometric data, we\u2019re really going to be in the wild West.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>X is hardly the latest company to embrace biometrics as a form of identity verification, especially as <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/age-verfication-schatz-cotton-social-media\/\">more states push for age verification<\/a> to use internet services. Tatiana Rice, senior counsel at the Future of Privacy Forum, says that while biometric verification can be an effective and secure way of verifying identities, it needs to come with considerations for user privacy.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, X doesn\u2019t provide information like how long biometric data is retained or if it\u2019s deleted. X did not respond to CyberScoop\u2019s request for comment on its retention and deletion policies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn these policies, usually there\u2019s more information that would allow users to better assess what level of risk they have,\u201d Rice said. \u201cUsually, you need to be able to delete that data, for example, because storing biometric data on a server is much more risky than storing it on a person\u2019s device.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rice noted that states including Illinois and Texas specifically require companies to share information on how they store and secure biometric data.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>While it appears that X will only collect biometric data from premium accounts, some users have said <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/johnwilander\/status\/1697254647654945083\">they will leave the platform<\/a> if the collection becomes mandatory for all accounts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis showcases that you do need to be really thoughtful about people\u2019s biometrics, specifically because it is inherently high risk and people are wary of that,\u201d said Rice. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen a lot of companies mishandle biometric data, so needing to be thoughtful as you continue to use biometric authentication methods is just really important.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The updated X privacy policy also notes that the company \u201cmay 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)\u201d for job recommendation services and advertising.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Updated Aug. 31, 2023:<\/strong> <em>To include additional commentary.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This 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{"id":1651,"date":"2023-08-31T15:54:02","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T15:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=76757"},"modified":"2023-08-31T15:54:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T15:54:02","slug":"twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2023\/08\/31\/twitter-now-x-will-begin-collecting-users-biometric-data\/","title":{"rendered":"Twitter, now X, will begin collecting users\u2019 biometric data"},"content":{"rendered":"