X Pledges to Stop Using EU Users' Data for AI Training
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X Vows To End Harvesting Of EU Users' Personal Data To Train Its AI
Social network X has committed to stop its much-criticised harvesting of European users' personal data to train its artificial intelligence program, Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) said Wednesday. Last month the social media giant -- previously known as Twitter -- suspended its processing of personal data contained in the public posts of users in the European Union and European Economic Area. It had used the data for almost three months to train its Grok AI chatbot. The EEA includes all 27 European Union members EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, allowing them to be part of the EU single market. "It is now a permanent commitment," to end such harvesting, Graham Doyle, Deputy Commissioner of the DPC, told AFP. The DPC, which acts on behalf of the EU, said in a statement that proceedings it brought before the Irish High Court last month have concluded. "The proceedings have been struck out on the basis of X's agreement to continue to adhere to the terms of the undertaking (made on August 8) on a permanent basis," said the statement. "The DPC welcomes today's outcome which protects the rights of EU/EEA citizens," it said. Last month the DPC, which works in collaboration with European regulators, made the urgent High Court application for violation of EU rules on data protection (GDPR). The authority said it had "significant concerns" that the harvesting "gave rise to a risk to the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals". Eight European countries have complained over X's data collection practices, which advocacy group NOYB (None of Your Business) said were "very likely" in breach of the rules. NOYB said that X should have made its practices more transparent to users and obtained their explicit consent before enabling data collection.
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X vows to end harvesting of EU users' personal data to train its AI
Dublin (AFP) - Social network X has committed to stop its much-criticised harvesting of European users' personal data to train its artificial intelligence program, Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) said Wednesday. Last month the social media giant -- previously known as Twitter -- suspended its processing of personal data contained in the public posts of users in the European Union and European Economic Area. It had used the data for almost three months to train its Grok AI chatbot. The EEA includes all 27 European Union members EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, allowing them to be part of the EU single market. "It is now a permanent commitment," to end such harvesting, Graham Doyle, Deputy Commissioner of the DPC, told AFP. The DPC, which acts on behalf of the EU, said in a statement that proceedings it brought before the Irish High Court last month have concluded. "The proceedings have been struck out on the basis of X's agreement to continue to adhere to the terms of the undertaking (made on August 8) on a permanent basis," said the statement. "The DPC welcomes today's outcome which protects the rights of EU/EEA citizens," it said. Last month the DPC, which works in collaboration with European regulators, made the urgent High Court application for violation of EU rules on data protection (GDPR). The authority said it had "significant concerns" that the harvesting "gave rise to a risk to the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals". Eight European countries have complained over X's data collection practices, which advocacy group NOYB (None of Your Business) said were "very likely" in breach of the rules. NOYB said that X should have made its practices more transparent to users and obtained their explicit consent before enabling data collection.
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X won't train Grok on EU users' public posts
The permanent agreement follows pressure from data protection officials. X will training its AI chatbot Grok on the public posts of users in the European Union and European Economic Area following pressure from a regulator in the region. Last month, the company the practice after Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) X has now made that commitment a permanent one, which prompted the DPC to end its legal action. The DPC, which is the chief EU regulator for X, raised concerns that X may have been violating data protection rules and users' rights. Since May, X had offered users of having their public posts being used to train Grok, implying that the company had enabled that setting for public accounts by default. Under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), however, companies are typically required to obtain explicit consent from users before processing their data. X does not have a media relations department that can be reached for comment. Meanwhile, the DPC has urged the European Data Protection Board to weigh in "on some of the core issues that arise in the context of processing for the purpose of developing and training an AI model," including how personal data is processed for such purposes. "The DPC hopes that the resulting opinion will enable proactive, effective and consistent Europe-wide regulation of this area more broadly," DPC commissioner Dale Sunderland said . "It will also support the handling of a number of complaints that have been lodged with/transmitted to the DPC" about such practices.
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X, formerly Twitter, announces it will cease using personal data from European Union users to train its artificial intelligence systems, in response to regulatory pressure and privacy concerns.
X's New Data Policy for EU Users
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has made a significant announcement regarding its data practices in the European Union. The company has pledged to stop using personal data from EU users to train its artificial intelligence systems, marking a notable shift in its approach to data handling and AI development 1.
Regulatory Pressure and Privacy Concerns
This decision comes in the wake of increasing scrutiny from EU regulators and growing concerns about privacy and data protection. The move is seen as a response to the stringent data protection laws in the EU, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which sets strict guidelines for how companies can collect and use personal data 2.
Impact on X's AI Development
The commitment specifically affects X's AI chatbot, Grok, which is currently available to premium subscribers in certain countries. By ceasing to use EU users' public posts for training Grok, X is potentially limiting the AI's exposure to diverse European languages and cultural contexts. This could have implications for the AI's performance and understanding of EU-specific content 3.
Broader Implications for Tech Industry
X's decision highlights the ongoing challenges faced by tech companies in balancing AI development with data privacy regulations. It sets a precedent that could influence how other social media and tech giants approach data usage for AI training, especially in regions with strict privacy laws like the EU.
User Transparency and Control
As part of this new policy, X has stated that it will provide clearer information to users about how their data is used. This increased transparency is aimed at giving users more control over their personal information and how it's utilized by the platform 1.
Future of AI Development at X
While this change may pose challenges for X's AI development in the EU market, it also presents an opportunity for the company to explore alternative methods of improving its AI systems. This could include focusing on synthetic data generation or developing more privacy-preserving machine learning techniques 2.
Global Implications
Although this policy change is specific to EU users, it raises questions about data practices in other regions. It may prompt discussions about implementing similar measures globally, potentially reshaping how social media platforms approach data collection and AI training worldwide 3.
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