X, formerly known as Twitter, will collect user biometric data, job and education history on August 31, 2023 at 5:03 pm Business News | The Hill

X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, will begin collecting biometric data and information on users’ employment and education history starting next month, according to the site’s updated privacy policy.

“Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” X said in the new privacy policy, set to go into effect on Sept. 29.

The social media platform told Bloomberg Law that the biometric data collection is for X Premium users, or those who pay for the platform’s subscription service, to allow for an additional layer of verification.

X did not specify what biometric data it plans to collect. However, such data can include facial images, fingerprints and iris patterns. 

The new addition to X’s privacy policy comes as the company faces a proposed class action lawsuit in Illinois over allegations that it collected biometric information on users without providing advance notice or obtaining their consent.

X also noted in its updated privacy policy that it may collect information about users’ employment and education history in order 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 platform began rolling out its new recruitment tool X Hiring last week, offering verified organizations early access to the beta version of the new feature.

X has undergone significant changes since it was first bought by billionaire Elon Musk last fall. Beyond the rebrand to X, Musk has also made several controversial modifications to the platform, including walking back its content moderation policies and reinstating previously banned accounts.

​Technology, Business, biometric data, Twitter, X X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, will begin collecting biometric data and information on users’ employment and education history starting next month, according to the site’s updated privacy policy. “Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” X said in the new privacy policy,…