Source: AFP
Social network X has pledged to stop collecting personal data of European users to train its much-criticised artificial intelligence program, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) said on Wednesday.
Last month, the social media giant — formerly known as Twitter — suspended the processing of personal data contained in users’ public posts in the European Union and the European Economic Area. He had used the data for nearly three months to train the Grok AI chatbot.
The EEA includes all 27 members of the European Union, EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, allowing them to be part of the EU’s 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 brought before the Irish High Court last month have been concluded.
Read also
German auto sales sink in August as EV slump worsens
“The proceedings were terminated based on X’s agreement to continue to abide by the terms of the commitment (made on August 8) on a permanent basis,” the statement said.
“The DPC welcomes today’s outcome which protects the rights of EU/EEA citizens,” it said.
Last month the DPC, which works in partnership with European regulators, submitted the urgent High Court application for a breach of EU data protection rules (GDPR).
The authority said it had “significant concerns” that the harvest “put at risk the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals”.
Eight European countries have complained about X’s data collection practices, which advocacy group NOYB (None of Your Business) said were “highly likely” to break the rules.
NOYB said X should have made its practices more transparent to users and obtained their express consent before allowing data collection.
Source: AFP
