New Terms of Service at X Spark Concerns Over AI Usage
New York — In a significant update, X has revealed new terms of service that will come into effect on November 15, which have stirred the concerns of many users across the platform.
What’s Changed?
The key point of the new terms states: “By submitting, posting, or displaying content on or through the services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to make your content available to the rest of the world.” This includes the right for X to analyze user-generated content for the purpose of training its machine learning and artificial intelligence models. Effectively, by continuing to use the platform, users are allowing X to utilize their data for AI development.
Rising Concerns Among Users
With the rapid growth of AI technologies, utilizing user-generated content to train AI has emerged as a contentious issue. Creative professionals such as artists are particularly anxious about their work potentially being used to develop AI models that may one day replicate or replace human creativity. Additionally, there are worries regarding the potential misuse of personal information contained within posts, leading some users to remove their photos from the platform.
“If users have any reservations regarding these terms, they could find themselves in a courtroom in Texas, where conservative activists often prevail,” a user commented, revealing frustrations over the updated terms.
Legal Matters in Texas
According to the new agreement, any disputes will be addressed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas or state courts in Tarrant County. Tarrant County, notable for being more than 100 miles away from X’s new headquarters in Austin, is already home to two ongoing lawsuits involving the company.
“By continuing to engage with the platform after November 15, users are effectively consenting to the revised terms,” the update on the platform states.
X’s AI Controversy
Additionally, X’s own AI chatbot, Grok, has faced backlash for spreading misinformation and generating misleading images related to political figures and events. This incident reflects the broader concerns regarding AI ethics that many companies, including major players like Google and Microsoft, are grappling with.
Before the recent amendments, users could opt out of sharing their data for AI training by adjusting settings in the “privacy and safety” section. There was a specific option for “Grok” where users could decline this data sharing. However, it remains unclear if the new terms will entirely revoke this option.
Clarifying the Changes
The new provisions have raised questions, as they seem to blur the lines between different types of accounts. Previously, X asserted that posts from private accounts would not be used to train Grok. However, the updated language does not specify any such differentiation.
Alex Fink, CEO of Otherweb, highlights the uniqueness of X’s terms: "What makes X distinct is that its new terms remove any ambiguity, contrasting with other platforms that may not clarify their intentions."
What Lies Ahead for Users?
While it’s common for social media platforms to outline broad licensing rights, the specifics of X’s updated terms could offer more room for interpretation than previously assumed. Users are left in the uncertain position of potentially not being able to opt-out of this extensive usage of their content for AI training.
For many users, this could feel like their digital contributions are being used without adequate consideration for their rights or preferences.
As the community grapples with these changes, it’s crucial to remain informed about how such policies affect not only users’ data but also future interactions on the platform.
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