( courtesy of Hacker News)
In many of my previous posts, I have certainly commended the use of social media as a door and window to the community I serve, for establishing an ongoing and living conversation between a library and its patrons, and for something to be tapped into, if not utilized in its fullest capacity.
And yet, equally, as a librarian using social media, I am often reminded (as I should be) that for-profit companies still own social media, and as "community-oriented" as they sell their brand to be, their general lack of boundaries when it comes to user data has become increasingly predatory.
One recent and well-known example can be found on X's (formerly Twitter's) online social media platform. Elon Musk has been known, since acquiring X, to want to establish it as a "one-stop" app for its users, allowing them to find jobs, socialize, chat, and make phone calls to one another.
However, in a 2023 policy update, X "informed" its users that it would be collecting biometric data, such as a photograph of their face (for folks signed up to X Premium, a selfie, as well as a government ID verification process), as well as formally collecting employment and educational histories.
The most important part of this story is that the actual details and speculations of how and in what ways X collects biometric data remain distinctly unclear.
However, what does remain clear is that X's current Privacy Policy (effective July 28, 2025) states in 1 short sentence, "Biometric Information. Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes." Thus, even in its most recent iteration, X continues to fail to address the potential and threat posed by collecting an entire world's biometric data, which is legally obtained with the consent of every single user.
What is additionally troubling is that X's age limit is 13, so teens aged 13-17 can create an account; however, no explicit language has been found on X's website or in its formalized statements in the privacy policy regarding the removal of the biometric data policy for its 13-17 users.
Boyd & Crawford's (2012) article on Big Data highlights a very relevant point: even in the academic world of accessing and utilizing large datasets by companies like X, which, in many studies, doesn't offer its users consent, even if the data is anonymized. This article resonates with the overall implications of how vital consent is overall for social media, and that safety and standardized policies for its teenage users are still remarkably lacking.
I, too, am concerned about the possibility that predators can use social media to find and track people. The other day, an unaccompanied adult man was in the children's department. Knowing that there are registered sex offenders in our town, I was apprehensive. He appeared to be watching one specific girl. Luckily, before I had a chance to approach and question him, he left.
ReplyDeletePosting photos of children engaged in a library program could eventually be scanned and entered into a biometric database without the child's or guardian's consent. The last time I flew to a foreign country, I was selected, along with other passengers, to have my face scanned randomly before boarding. The airline staff told me that it was optional. Needless to say, I opted out, though I know that airport security cameras had already captured my image.
Hi Tova,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you brought up X's biometric policy, as it highlights the vulnerability of its users, particularly teenagers. Just like you said, anonymous data can still be misused in ways people never intended when they signed up.
From a library perspective, your post makes me think how careful we need to be when posting content ourselves. If for-profit companies still have significant gaps, then libraries, which are rooted in public trust, have an even greater responsibility to be transparent. It makes me wonder, too, how the future will look when tech gets even more advanced.