X, formerly known as Twitter, will begin collecting users’ biometric data, according to its new privacy policy that was first spotted by Bloomberg. The policy also says the company wants to collect users’ job and education history. The policy page indicates that the change will go into effect on September 29.
“Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” the updated policy reads. Although X hasn’t specified what it means by biometric information, it is usually used to describe person’s physical characteristics, such as their face or fingerprints. X also hasn’t provided any details about how it plans to collect it.
The company told Bloomberg that the biometrics are for premium users and will give them the option to submit their government ID and an image in order to add a verification layer. Biometric data may be extracted from both the ID and image for matching purposes, Bloomberg reports.
“This will additionally help us tie, for those that choose, an account to a real person by processing their government issued ID,” X said in a statement to Bloomberg. “This will also help X fight impersonation attempts and make the platform more secure.”
It’s possible that X may want users’ biometric data to enable passwordless sign-ins. According to app developer Steve Moser, the social network is working on adding support for passkeys. Passkeys are password replacements that can confirm your identity based on encrypted biometric authentication methods already available on your device.
The social network was named in a proposed class action suit last month alleging that X wrongfully captured, stored and used Illinois residents’ biometric data, including facial scans, without consent. The lawsuit alleges that X “has not adequately informed individuals” that it “collects and/or stores their biometric identifiers in every photograph containing a face.”
In addition to the new changes about biometric information, X’s updated policy says it will start storing users’ employment and education history as well.
“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 updated policy reads.
This move appears to be linked to X’s beta feature that allows verified organizations on the platform to post job listings on their profiles. The social media giant has also created an official @XHiring account. The hiring initiative is part of Musk’s plans to turn X into an “everything app.”
X did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
