CNN –
X, The social media platform formerly known as Twitter said this week that it may collect biometric and employment information from its users, expanding the scope of personal information account holders may disclose on the site.
The disclosures came as part of an update to the company’s privacy policy, which added two sections related to new data collection practices.
“Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric data for security and identification purposes,” the policy states.
Additionally, in a new section called “Applications,” X explained that it may be able to collect users’ employment and educational history.
The company too said it can collect “employment preferences, skills and abilities, job search activity and engagement, etc.” to suggest potential job opportunities to users, share that information with potential third-party employers, or more specifically target users with advertising.
For X Premium users, the company offers the option to provide government ID and a selfie picture for verification purposes. The company can extract biometric data from both government ID and selfie images for matching purposes, the company told CNN in a statement.
“This will also help us, for those who choose to do so, link an account to a real person by processing their government-issued ID,” the company said. “This will also help X combat identity theft attempts and make the platform more secure.”
The changes reflect what many of X’s colleagues already routinely collect. But it represents an expansion of the types of information Twitter wants to track. The policy adjustment comes as owner Elon Musk seeks to transform the platform into an “everything app” that could include financial services and other features similar to the popular Chinese app WeChat.
The change also comes as some regulatory initiatives around the world begin requiring social media companies to verify the age of their users. Many retirement services require users to upload copies of their government ID or selfies, which are then analyzed by artificial intelligence.
However, on Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked an Arkansas law requiring age verification for social media platforms just hours before it was set to take effect.