Will you give X your biometric data? – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

The update to X's privacy policy has sparked some questions among privacy and security folks, including how long X will retain users' biometric information and how the data will be stored and secured

Editor

08 Sep 2023

Will you give X your biometric data in order to help secure your account on the site? The social media platform formerly known as Twitter has announced that it will begin collecting biometric data from its paying users in order to help combat fraud and impersonation on the site.

The update to X's privacy policy – which also includes a move to begin collecting users' employment and job history – has inevitably sparked some discussion and questions from privacy and security folks, including:

How long will X retain the biometric data ?
How will the data be stored?
How will it be secured?
Why will the move apply to paying users only?

Learn more in Tony's video.

ESET researcher Cameron Camp also reflected recently on the implications of handing over your biometric data to online services. Make sure to give it a read here: Had your face stolen lately?