X Faces Legal Action from Noyb Over User Data Misuse for AI Training
The European Center for Digital Rights, known as Noyb, has filed complaints against X, formerly Twitter, concerning the company’s data collection practices for its AI technology. Noyb claims that X has begun using the personal data of over 60 million European users to train its Grok AI without obtaining consent or informing the users. This situation came to light when many individuals learned about the new default data usage setting through a viral post on July 26, highlighting a lack of proactive communication from X regarding its data handling practices.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) recently took legal action against X for these practices. Although the DPC announced that X would suspend its controversial data processing, Noyb’s founder, Max Schrems, criticized the DPC for not addressing the fundamental legality of the data processing. According to Schrems, the DPC’s actions seem to focus on minor issues rather than tackling the core problem of user consent and data protection.
Noyb has urged for a comprehensive investigation into the situation, particularly concerning the data already collected from EU users. The organization has submitted complaints in several countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. They have requested an urgency procedure that would enable data protection authorities in these nations to take immediate action against X.
Schrems emphasized the necessity for X to comply with EU law, which mandates obtaining user consent for data processing. This aligns with the objectives of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which seeks to empower individuals to control how their personal information is used by companies. Noyb’s recent legal actions have also influenced other tech giants, such as Meta, prompting them to reconsider their AI initiatives.
