X Shares User Data with AI Companies: What You Need to Know

X (formerly Twitter) has sparked privacy debates with its latest policy update, allowing user data to be shared with AI companies for model training. Starting November 15, user activities—such as posts, likes, bookmarks, and reposts—will be included unless individuals manually opt out.

This policy shift underscores the growing influence of social media platforms in fueling AI development, but it also raises significant concerns about data privacy and user autonomy.

What Does X’s New Privacy Policy Entail?

The updated policy explicitly states that user data will be shared with third-party AI firms to enhance machine learning models. Key details include:

• What’s Shared: Public activities like posts, likes, and reposts.
• Who’s Impacted: All users, unless they manually opt out.
• Why It Matters: AI models rely on vast datasets to improve accuracy, and social media data provides a goldmine of behavioral insights.

A Growing Trend in Data Monetization

X’s move is part of a broader trend in the tech industry, where social platforms are leveraging user data to advance AI technology. This is not without precedent:

• Facebook and Instagram faced similar scrutiny for their data-sharing practices in the past.
• X’s distinction: It explicitly links data-sharing with AI training, intensifying debates about ethical data use.

Cybersecurity expert Ritesh Kotak aptly calls this an “arms race” in AI. According to him:
“The more data you have, the more accurate your AI model will become,” emphasizing the competitive edge for platforms with extensive data access.

What This Means for Users

1. Transparency Concerns: Users are automatically enrolled in the program, making it crucial to manually opt out if they’re uncomfortable with data-sharing.
2. Trust Issues: While AI advancements offer exciting possibilities, they also challenge platforms to maintain user confidence—a critical factor for platforms relying on engagement-driven services like Instagram growth.

How to Protect Your Data

With privacy in focus, users can take these proactive steps:

1. Opt-Out: Adjust your X account settings to restrict data-sharing with AI firms.
2. Review Permissions: Regularly check and manage the permissions granted to third-party apps.
3. Stay Informed: Monitor platform updates to understand how your data is used.

The Industry Impact

X’s policy sets a precedent for openly linking social media data with AI training. This could influence how other platforms like Instagram and TikTok navigate their own privacy policies. As data-sharing trends continue, the balance between innovation and user privacy will remain a contentious issue.

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Author Bio:

By Emily Carter
Emily Carter is a tech and social media journalist with expertise in AI and data privacy. Her work focuses on helping users navigate the evolving landscape of digital platforms with confidence.