Advocates Urge FTC to Maintain Oversight of Musk's X Amid Privacy Concerns

On July 2, privacy advocates called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to continue its oversight of X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, following Elon Musk's proposed termination of auditing requirements. The advocates argue that Musk's changes have not reduced risks to user privacy, but rather heightened them.

Concerns Over Data Handling Practices

The FTC's previous order was a response to a coding error that led to improper sharing of user contact information for advertising purposes. Musk contends that the current oversight is unnecessary due to significant changes made to the platform. However, advocates argue that the issues persist, and X presents a serious risk to Americans' privacy and data security.

• 15 privacy groups, including Demand Progress and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, co-signed a letter to the FTC.
• The advocates assert that X's requests to terminate audits are an attempt to evade accountability.
• They emphasize the importance of continued FTC oversight for protecting user data.

Red Flags Surrounding X's AI Developments

Musk's rebranding of Twitter to X, along with its integration into SpaceX, does not eliminate concerns regarding data privacy. Advocates point to the backlash against X's AI chatbot, Grok, which has faced legal challenges for generating inappropriate content. They highlight past incidents, including a 2.8 billion record leak from the platform, as evidence of ongoing data mishandling.

According to the advocates, the FTC has already determined that Musk directed actions contrary to the existing order, raising further alarm about X's commitment to user privacy.

AI Training Without User Consent

Another significant issue is X's decision to collect user-generated content for AI training without obtaining explicit consent. Advocates argue that this practice mirrors past data scandals, notably the Cambridge Analytica incident. They warn that many users are unaware their posts are used for AI training, with a study indicating that 73% of X users did not know their tweets trained Grok.

Cambridge Analytica criticized X's approach, stating that the platform's terms allow for extensive data extraction without clear user benefits. The organization noted, "X explicitly reserves the right to train AI on your complete behavioral history," contrasting this with other platforms that maintain ambiguity in their data usage policies.