Congrats! Your X Data Is Now an AI's Playground—Just Don’t Forget to Opt Out!
**Elon Musk’s X Updates Privacy Policy to Allow AI Training on User Data**
In a significant shift, social network X (formerly Twitter) has updated its privacy policy to permit third-party collaborators to utilize user data for training artificial intelligence models, unless users actively opt out. This move comes amid ongoing scrutiny from regulators, particularly in the european union, where concerns about data usage have intensified following Musk’s use of X user data to train the Grok AI chatbot through xAI.
The new policy, which is set to take effect on november 15, outlines that user information may be shared with third parties for independent purposes, including AI model training. The specific section, titled “Sharing Information,” states:
“Depending on your settings, or if you decide to share your data, we may share or disclose your information with third parties. If you do not opt out, in some instances the recipients of the information may use it for their own independent purposes in addition to those stated in X’s Privacy Policy, including, for example, to train their artificial intelligence models, whether generative or otherwise.”
This change data-aligns X with other platforms, such as Reddit, which have also explored licensing data to AI companies as a potential revenue stream. The move indicates a broader trend within the tech industry as companies seek to monetize their vast troves of user-generated content.
Despite the addition of this new data-sharing clause, the policy does not provide specific instructions on how users can opt out. Currently, the “Privacy and safety” section allows users to manage data-sharing settings related to xAI's Grok and other business partners. However, the description of these partners focuses primarily on those collaborating with X to enhance its services, rather than explicitly mentioning AI developers.
As the effective date of the updated privacy policy approaches, users are advised to monitor their settings for any changes related to the opt-out feature, which may be introduced before the november 15 deadline. With growing concerns around privacy and data usage, X's latest policy revision underscores the ongoing debate about the ethical implications of AI training using personal data.
In a significant shift, social network X (formerly Twitter) has updated its privacy policy to permit third-party collaborators to utilize user data for training artificial intelligence models, unless users actively opt out. This move comes amid ongoing scrutiny from regulators, particularly in the european union, where concerns about data usage have intensified following Musk’s use of X user data to train the Grok AI chatbot through xAI.
The new policy, which is set to take effect on november 15, outlines that user information may be shared with third parties for independent purposes, including AI model training. The specific section, titled “Sharing Information,” states:
“Depending on your settings, or if you decide to share your data, we may share or disclose your information with third parties. If you do not opt out, in some instances the recipients of the information may use it for their own independent purposes in addition to those stated in X’s Privacy Policy, including, for example, to train their artificial intelligence models, whether generative or otherwise.”
This change data-aligns X with other platforms, such as Reddit, which have also explored licensing data to AI companies as a potential revenue stream. The move indicates a broader trend within the tech industry as companies seek to monetize their vast troves of user-generated content.
Despite the addition of this new data-sharing clause, the policy does not provide specific instructions on how users can opt out. Currently, the “Privacy and safety” section allows users to manage data-sharing settings related to xAI's Grok and other business partners. However, the description of these partners focuses primarily on those collaborating with X to enhance its services, rather than explicitly mentioning AI developers.
As the effective date of the updated privacy policy approaches, users are advised to monitor their settings for any changes related to the opt-out feature, which may be introduced before the november 15 deadline. With growing concerns around privacy and data usage, X's latest policy revision underscores the ongoing debate about the ethical implications of AI training using personal data.