X Premium Verification: Subscribers of the X Premium service will soon have the option to provide their selfies along with photo IDs for user verification. Along with this, X’s updated policy indicates a move towards gathering users’ employment and academic history. This data aims to facilitate job recommendations and share relevant information with potential employers during a job application process. Such steps have ignited speculations that X is gearing up to foray into the recruitment sector.
Back in May, X Corp integrated a tech recruiting service, Laskie, into its domain. This acquisition marked a significant move since Elon Musk’s $44bn (£34.7bn) purchase of Twitter, which was subsequently rebranded.
Set to be enforced on 29th September, the new privacy guidelines specify: “We may utilize your personal data (covering employment history, educational background, job preferences, expertise, job-seeking behavior, engagement, etc.) to suggest suitable jobs, share with prospective employers during job applications, assist employers in discovering potential candidates, and customize advertisement relevance.”
Liberty Vittert, a seasoned data science professor at Washington University in St. Louis, perceives this development as X’s ambition to create “enhanced targeted user experiences.” This move might position X as a competitor to platforms like LinkedIn. However, Vittert also suggests users should exercise caution. There’s potential for misuse; employers might base their hiring decisions on an individual’s social activity, including tweets or the accounts they follow.
When addressing the collection of biometric data, X clarified that this initiative targets X Premium users specifically. Explaining their stance to the BBC, the company mentioned, “Subscribers will have an optional feature allowing them to submit their government ID along with a selfie to add an extra layer of account verification. Extracting biometric details from both these inputs ensures a match and associates an account with an authentic individual. This also intensifies our efforts against impersonation, bolstering platform security.”
Further adding to X’s feature set, Mr. Musk disclosed their intention to introduce audio and video call capabilities to the platform. The tool, which is compatible with iOS, Android, Mac & PC, won’t require a phone number. Elon Musk views X as an “effective global directory,” although he hasn’t provided a rollout date for this new calling function.
Elon Musk envisions transforming X into a multifaceted application, an all-inclusive platform for an array of online services. Given this vision, it’s plausible that the platform might continue unveiling additional features and associated privacy policy enhancements in the near future.
