What the X is up with X’s AI policy?

It’s been an eventful year for The Platform Formerly Known as Twitter. If you remained on X during its transition, you’ve likely noticed a few changes: premium subscriptions, advertiser updates, new features like Community Notes and more. And while that’s all well and (some of it) good, it’s the platform’s latest Terms of Service and Privacy Policy update surrounding AI that has put some users on alert. But is this cause for alarm? Is a mass X-odus inevitable? Let’s break it down.

What the X is up?

As of Nov. 15, 2024, X’s updated terms of service allow user data–including posts, replies, media, memes and more–to be used for training generative AI models. This includes external programs and, more specifically, X’s own internal AI, “Grok.”

Verbatim, the policy states:

“You agree that this license includes the right for us to analyze text and other information you provide and to otherwise provide, promote and improve the Services, including, for example, for use with and training of our machine learning and artificial intelligence models, whether generative or another type.”

Ok, cool lawyer talk, but what does that really mean? In a nutshell, by accepting the new terms, which you must do to use the app, you’re granting X permission to train little Grok using your account’s information. 

Does going private help? The answer is…unclear. In a previous post, X stated that Private account data would not be collected, but the updated language no longer differentiates between the types.

In addition to these updates, the new terms also touch upon:

• Expanded Data Sharing: User data can be shared with third parties, potentially creating new revenue streams for X through data licensing. This opens the door for user data to be shared with external parties to train their AI models.
• Indefinite Data Retention: While previous policies limited data retention to 18 months, the updated terms include varying retention timelines…sometimes up to an account’s lifetime.
• Opt-Out Ambiguity: While the Fall 2024 policy provides an option to opt out of data sharing, the details on HOW to do so and the extent of its coverage are foggy at best.

As more and more tech giants enter the AI space, this move by X was likely inevitable. Facebook/Instagram/Threads’ parent company Meta trains its AI on “information shared on Meta’s Products and services.” This could include your posts, photos and captions. 

However, unlike X, Meta does not use ALL of your content and excludes “content of your private messages…unless you or someone in the chat chooses to share those messages with our AIs.”

Not on Meta apps? Meta AI may still use your content or information in its learning if that content is posted on the internet somewhere. As stated in the Meta AI policy, “​​We use information that is publicly available online and licensed information.”

But back to X. Why take data collection to the next level? The platform’s all-out approach gives Musk and his company a potential advantage over the competition. You see…

OpenAI’s ChatGPT’s standard subscription practices machine learning via a pre-fed data stream. (Huh?) That’s just SEO-friendly fancy talk for saying ChatGPT learns by examining previous versions of the internet piece by piece. Meanwhile, X’s Grok will be able to learn in 100% real-time from its users’ data. At first, this only meant interactions with the AI itself.

You can turn off THIS chat-specific data sharing in your settings, but X does not make HOW to do so very clear. Lucky for you…I Googled it. 😎 

1. Open the X app.
2. Click your profile picture in the top left corner.
3. Select “Settings and privacy.”
4. Select “Privacy and safety.”
5. Scroll down and select “Grok.”
6. Uncheck the prompt: “Allow your posts as well as your interactions, inputs and results with Grok to be used for training and fine-tuning.”

Again, this only turns off Grok’s ability to learn directly from your chat data/interactions. The new terms make it clear that the rest of your “content” is fair game. 

“By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display, upload, download and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods now known or later developed, for any purpose.”

Should businesses stay or go?

As we mentioned before, you MUST accept these terms if you want to keep using the app. In fact, you may have already done so. 

The new terms are popping up in the app for users to agree to as I type. In fact, closing out of the popup without clicking agree is an auto-agreement in itself—I watched it happen in real-time to my creative director! At this time, there does not seem to be a workaround besides leaving the platform altogether.

But should you? Now, that’s the question.

Many users are leaving X for various reasons, including new platforms, disagreements with its founder, dissatisfaction with updated features and more. But the app is in no way “dying.” For businesses and nonprofits, understanding their target audience is key to decision-making.

This recent shift simply means followers may not be as present on X anymore. If your count is stagnating or dropping, it might not be your marketing strategy. Your audience may have just packed their bags. 

Deciding whether you should remain on X boils down to your goals, target audience and comfort with the new policy. Reasons to stay include:

• Your target demographic is still active and engaged.
• X’s potential for virality and increasing brand awareness.
• Monitoring your competitors and trending topics.

Alternatively, you may choose to jump ship if…

• Your business is particularly sensitive about data usage/sharing.
• Your engagement rates, follower counts or conversations have taken a nosedive.
• Your organization’s values don’t align with X’s business decisions.

These conversations are not always so cut and dry. Before making a rash decision, it’s always best to discuss your strategy with your internal team and/or a trusted marketing partner.

PRO TIP: One major consideration is how your business interacts with news sources. In our experience, X can offer a gateway into journalists’ DMs, allowing you to keep them informed of upcoming events and newsworthy developments with your company/nonprofit. It is also useful for thanking them if they cover your story!

So, where to next?

If X isn’t the vibe for your business anymore, you’ve got options. The most popular alternatives for users include Threads (by Meta) and BlueSky.

Threads

275 million active as of November 2024 

Meta’s answer to Twitter has gained traction in the past few months, gaining up to 15 million subscribers in November 2024 alone. This social media platform was designed as a text-based companion to Instagram. It allows users to share updates, join conversations and engage with a community through concise posts, similar to X but with a focus on seamless integration with Instagram. 

Users can follow accounts from their Instagram network, fostering an immediate sense of connection. Threads keeps it simple by offering features like text, images and videos. This platform is still quite young, so expect changes and user fluctuations as it continues to gain traction.

BlueSky

20 million active users as of November 2024 

Developed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, BueSky is a “decentralized” platform that emphasizes privacy and user control. Built on the AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol), BlueSky aims to provide a user-driven experience by allowing individuals to manage their data, content algorithms and even the communities they interact with. 

And its stance on machine learning? In a post on its platform, BlueSky stated, “We do not use any of your content to train generative AI, and have no intention of doing so.”

Unlike traditional platforms, it operates without a centralized authority, empowering users to curate their feeds and connections more freely. The platform emphasizes innovation, transparency and an ad-free environment, attracting those who seek alternatives to mainstream social media.

Let’s strategize!

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