Social media giant X is positioning itself as a rival to LinkedIn, according to a recent announcement from CEO Elon Musk. To facilitate this move, the company has begun to collect data on users’ employment and educational backgrounds, as well as biometric information for “safety, security, and identification,” as observed in a newly updated policy highlighted by Bloomberg. This comes after the platform had already initiated an official @TwitterHiring account, a development TechCrunch covered last month.
Musk, no stranger to eliciting eyerolls with his own online behavior, commented on LinkedIn’s perceived “cringeworthiness.” “Whenever someone sends me a LinkedIn link, the level of cringe is so overwhelming that I ask them to just email their resume or bio instead,” he said. “Our X platform will definitely be the cooler cousin of LinkedIn.”
In addition to educational and work histories, X has been somewhat mysterious about what specific kinds of biometric data it’s amassing. The updated privacy policy vaguely states, “With your consent, we’ll gather and use your biometric data for safety, security, and identification reasons.” Bloomberg received a confirmation from Twitter regarding this policy update, though further details were scant.
TechCrunch previously reported that some verified entities, like Workweek, are already able to post job opportunities as scrollable cards within their bios. A user by the name of Nima Owji posted a screenshot last month indicating that “Twitter [X] will allow verified organizations to upload their job openings by linking a compatible ATS or XML feed.” However, this feature may be currently limited to users in the United States.
The job listing function isn’t exactly coming out of the blue. Elon Musk hinted at the feature back in May and under his leadership, X acquired job-matching tech startup Laski, marking its first acquisition since Musk took the reins. Workweek CEO Adam Ryan mentioned that this job listing service is part of X’s $1,000 per month “verified for organizations” subscription package.
The data collected on employment and education could potentially be used for more personalized job recommendations. The updated policy states, “We might use your personal information, such as your job history, education, job preferences, skills, job search activities and engagement, etc., to suggest possible job opportunities to you and to help employers locate potential candidates.” Interestingly, the data might also serve the purpose of showing users targeted advertising.
Collecting biometric information aligns with Musk’s larger goal of purging X of fraudulent accounts. However, this may bring regulatory scrutiny. X is currently the target of a proposed class-action lawsuit over allegations of capturing biometric data without user consent, particularly through photos with faces that are uploaded to the platform, as revealed in a lawsuit spotted by Bloomberg.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about X challenges LinkedIn
What is social media platform X planning to do?
Social media platform X is planning to launch a job listing feature to compete directly with LinkedIn. The company has started collecting data on users’ work histories, educational backgrounds, and biometric information.
Who is behind the initiative for X’s new feature?
Elon Musk, the CEO of X, announced the feature and has been vocal about the intention to make it a “cooler” alternative to LinkedIn. He has also mentioned that biometric data will be collected for security purposes.
What type of data is X collecting from its users?
In addition to employment and educational history, X is collecting unspecified biometric data. The updated privacy policy states this is for “safety, security, and identification purposes,” although no further details have been provided.
Are there any concerns regarding data privacy?
Yes, there are concerns, particularly surrounding the collection of biometric data. X is already facing a proposed class-action lawsuit for capturing biometric data without explicit user consent.
What are verified organizations able to do on X’s platform?
Verified organizations, such as Workweek, can already post job listings in the form of scrollable cards under their bios. This feature is currently part of X’s $1,000 per month “verified for organizations” subscription package.
Is this job listing feature available worldwide?
As of now, it appears that the job listing feature may be limited to users in the United States. This is based on a user’s report that the feature doesn’t appear for them in Europe.
How might X use the collected data in the future?
The data might be used to suggest potential job opportunities to users and to help employers locate candidates. It could also be used to display more relevant advertising to users, according to the updated policy.
What was X’s first acquisition under Elon Musk’s leadership?
X’s first acquisition under Elon Musk was a job-matching tech startup called Laski. The acquisition seems to be directly related to the new job listing feature.
Has Elon Musk hinted at this feature before?
Yes, Elon Musk previously hinted at launching a job listing feature back in May, prior to the acquisition of Laski.
What does this new feature mean for LinkedIn?
While it’s too early to gauge the full impact, X’s entry into the job listing market could pose a serious challenge to LinkedIn, particularly if X succeeds in creating a “cooler” and more engaging platform.
More about X challenges LinkedIn
- Elon Musk’s Announcement on X’s New Feature
- Bloomberg’s Coverage on X’s Privacy Policy Update
- TechCrunch Article on @TwitterHiring Account
- Proposed Class-Action Lawsuit Against X
- Workweek’s CEO Adam Ryan Comments on X’s Job Listings
- Nima Owji’s Screenshot on Verified Organizations on X
8 comments
Biometric data is where I draw the line. not comfy with that at all.
Musk said LinkedIn is cringey? lol, that’s rich coming from Mr. Twitter himself. but hey, competition is always good, keeps companies on their toes.
So they’re collecting work and edu history. but for what? More ads? cuz thats all we need, right?
Verified orgs getting job listing features first, not surprised. A $1,000 per month package tho, guess its not for the small guys.
Biometric data? seriously? I get the security angle, but this could turn into a privacy nightmare real quick.
Another Elon venture, huh? From rockets to job listings. dude’s got range. wonder if it’ll be as ‘cool’ as he says.
Wow, Elon’s really going for LinkedIn’s jugular, huh? Love or hate the guy, he’s always up to something. can’t wait to see how this plays out.
Gotta say, LinkedIn could use a kick in the pants. It’s become a bit stale. But coming from Elon, expect this to either be really awesome or a complete trainwreck.