X seeks permission to collect your biometric data, employment history

SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk-run X (formerly Twitter) is now seeking permission from users to start collecting their biometric data and employment history.

The social media network has updated its privacy policy to include carveouts for “biometric information” and “employment history”.

“Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” reads the updated privacy policy reads.

X said it may collect and use 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 new X policy will go into effect from September 29.

"When you use our services, we collect information about how you use our products and services. We use that information to provide you with products and services, to help keep X more secure and respectful for everyone, and more relevant to you,” said the company.

In July, X Corp. was named in a proposed class-action lawsuit in the US over its data collection practices.

The lawsuit alleged that X “has not adequately informed individuals” that it “collects and/or stores their biometric identifiers in every photograph containing a face” that’s uploaded to the platform.