X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, has updated its privacy policy to include a new kind of user data it plans to collect: biometric data.
“Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” the policy states. Exactly what X considers biometrics is unclear and was unexplained, though other companies might use the term to describe data gleaned from a person’s face, eyes and fingerprints.
The social media platform will also collect job and educational history: “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 policy changes will take effect Sept. 29 and the platform says users can change their settings to limit what information is collected. X also announced Thursday (Aug. 31) that users could make audio and video calls without using phone numbers.
The moves are the latest in X owner Elon Musk’s drive to create a super app that includes payments, job searches and more. He previously stated that one of his priorities is to rid the site of inauthentic accounts and to encourage more users to pay the $8 monthly fee for a verified account.
Super apps like Alipay and WeChat have been hugely successful in Asia but have failed to gain large followings in the U.S. and Europe. In a recent discussion with PYMNTS’ Karen Webster, Amias Gerety, partner at QED Investors said it remains to be seen if X has the audience that will want to use it as a super app.
“You have to start with what would it even mean for them to become a super app. I think a lot of people focus on how X might do micro payments and [integrate that functionality],” he said. “But I think, actually, the better place to start is, how many people actually use the platform?
“Journalists and politically engaged millennials are not necessarily the right place to start in terms of brand permission to start to take over people’s lives [with super app capabilities],” Gerety explained. “Does X even have the brand permission to get into people’s wallets?”