If you’re an X user who crafts detailed threads, shares political opinions, runs fan accounts, or posts memes, your content is likely being used to train Grok AI, a chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, without your explicit consent.
Recently, users discovered a new setting on X that allows their posts to be utilized for Grok’s training by default. The setting is enabled automatically, with a pre-checked box indicating consent for your posts, interactions, and results with Grok to be used for training and fine-tuning.
This default setting on X has drawn the attention of data regulators in the EU and UK, as it may breach data protection laws. The UK’s regulations prohibit companies from using “pre-ticked boxes” or other default consent methods. A spokesperson for the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) stated that platforms must be transparent about using user data for AI training, proactively notify users, and provide simple opt-out processes. The ICO is currently investigating X’s practices.
All X users have the ability to control whether their public posts can be used to train Grok, the AI search assistant. This option is in addition to your existing controls over whether your interactions, inputs, and results related to Grok can be utilized. This setting is…
— Safety (@Safety) July 26, 2024
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) is also examining X’s data usage, expressing surprise at the platform’s recent attempt to collect user data for AI training.
To opt out of AI training on X, go to Settings and Privacy > Privacy and Safety > Grok > Uncheck the Data Sharing box > Delete conversation history. Note that this opt-out option is currently only available on the web version of X, but it is expected to be added to the mobile app soon.
Other social media platforms are also under scrutiny for similar practices. Recently, Meta faced backlash for its data usage policies intended to train its AI assistant on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Initially, Meta planned to use public posts without explicit consent, but regulatory pressure forced the company to halt this policy in the EU and UK.
While Meta continues to train its AI models using public user data in markets like India, Instagram and Facebook users in these regions can opt out. Meanwhile, platforms like Reddit and Stack Overflow have entered into multimillion-dollar content licensing agreements with major AI companies, allowing access to users’ posts for training and fine-tuning their large language models (LLMs).
