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X Faces Austrian Complaint Over Data Usage for AI Training

X Faces Austrian Complaint Over Data Usage for AI Training

An important complaint against social media network X, formerly known as Twitter, was submitted on Monday by the Austrian advocacy group NOYB (None of Your Business). The corporation, which is owned by Elon Musk, is accused of violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union by improperly exploiting customers’ personal data to train its artificial intelligence (AI) systems without getting the required authorization.

The GDPR Grievance and Its Consequences

X Faces Austrian Complaint Over Data Usage for AI Training

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Max Schrems, a well-known privacy campaigner, led the complaint that was filed with data protection authorities across nine EU nations. This action is a component of a larger plan to put further pressure on Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which serves as the principal regulator for numerous significant American technology companies doing business in Europe because Ireland is home to their European headquarters. The main point of NOYB’s complaint is that X has been processing user data for AI training without providing users with an opportunity to opt out beforehand, which is a clear violation of GDPR regulations.

Ireland's Part in the Protracted Legal Battle

In order to rectify the situation, the Irish Data Protection Commission, which is leading the way in regulating these matters, has taken action. It has requested an injunction prohibiting X from utilizing user data for AI research until appropriate consent procedures are put in place. X consented to temporarily stop using personal data for AI training in response to the complaint. However, NOYB contends that rather than addressing the basic legality of the data processing itself, the DPC’s measures are more focused on mitigation.

The Position of Max Schrems and Legal Issues

Max Schrems, a prominent proponent of digital age privacy rights, voiced his worries regarding X’s operations. He said,

"We want to ensure that Twitter fully complies with EU law, which, at a bare minimum, requires to ask users for consent in this case."

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The case brought to light that X had not notified users of their right to object to data collecting until many weeks after the process had commenced, giving rise to further ethical and legal concerns. 

Analogous to Meta's AI Approach

This is not a unique instance. Similar problems arose for Facebook’s parent firm Meta in June when the Irish DPC asked for a postponement of the AI assistant’s European launch citing privacy concerns. Additionally, NOYB has filed complaints against Meta, highlighting the wider ramifications for IT businesses that use user data for AI training without the express consent of the user.

Final Thoughts: X's Future and EU Data Privacy

As the matter develops, X’s adherence to EU data protection regulations is still being investigated. The resolution of this case may establish a standard for how tech companies function in Europe, especially in relation to the use of private information for artificial intelligence research.

Elon Musk's X Struggles with User Growth as the rise of Meta threads

Elon Musk’s X Struggles with User Growth as the rise of Meta Threads

The number of users on X, previously referred to as Twitter, has significantly slowed down after Elon Musk purchased the company for forty-four billion dollars in the middle of 2022. X’s daily rise in active users has dropped to less than two percent in 2024, from an average yearly increase of 30 percent in 2020. X’s daily active user growth over the previous year was barely 1.6 percent, according to new information from the Financial Times, reducing the total to about 251 million daily active users.

App Downloads: Threads vs. X

Elon Musk's X Struggles with User Growth as the rise of Meta threads

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The slowdown in the number of users is reflected in the downloads of X’s apps. AppFigures data indicates that although Meta’s Threads has enjoyed a solid 250,000 to 300,000 daily iOS downloads, X’s per day downloads have remained around 100,000. With 51 million downloads this year, Threads has more than doubled X’s total number of iOS downloads (20 million). On Android, a similar trend can be seen: Threads has received 87 million downloads, almost twice as many as X, with 45 million.

Comparison of Web Traffic

Even with its slow app downloads, X still gets a lot of traffic from web browsers. X surpassed Threads with over 2 billion monthly visitors, according to SimilarWeb data, with 51.5 million monthly visits. Since that Threads is a platform that has only lately begun to expand its online functionality, this discrepancy could be explained by the app-centric design of the platform.

User Interaction

According to Threads, there are 175 million active users each month; Sensor Tower calculates that number to be roughly 38 million users each day. This implies that the user base of X may be more engaged than that of Threads, where users may interact more regularly. The fact that Threads may be attracting more people away from X as it expands suggests that the user bases of the two platforms may not completely overlap.

In conclusion, Musk’s social media endeavor faces a huge hurdle since, despite maintaining a sizable amount of web traffic, X’s declining user growth and app download rates contrast significantly with Meta’s Threads’ quick development.

 
The Complete Guide to X Premium: Features, Benefits, and How to Subscribe

The Complete Guide to X Premium: Features, Benefits, and How to Subscribe

In a move that signals a major change in the way social media platforms monetize their services, X (formerly known as Twitter) has launched its own premium subscription service, X Premium. This new tier aims to enhance the user experience by offering exclusive features, improved functionalities, and a more personalized way of interacting with the platform. Here’s everything you need to know about X Premium, including its benefits and how to get the most from your subscription.

What is X Premium?

The Complete Guide to X Premium: Features, Benefits, and How to Subscribe

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X Premium is a subscription-based service offered by the social media giant, designed for users who want an enhanced experience on the platform. By subscribing to X Premium, users unlock features and benefits that are not available to free account holders. These enhancements range from an ad-free browsing experience to more sophisticated analytics tools, aimed at both regular users and professionals who use the platform for business and content creation.

Key Features and Benefits

  1. Ad-Free Experience: One of the most sought-after benefits of X Premium is the ability to browse the platform without any interruptions from ads. This ensures a cleaner and more focused user experience.

  2. Enhanced Analytics: Subscribers gain access to advanced analytics tools that provide in-depth information about their account performance, audience engagement, and content reach. This feature is especially useful for creators and businesses who want to optimize their social media strategy.

  3. Exclusive Content: X Premium members have exclusive access to premium content from popular creators and influencers, including articles, videos, and live streams that are not available to non-subscribers.

  4. Priority Support: Subscribers benefit from priority customer support, ensuring that any issues or queries are resolved promptly.

  5. Customization Options: Additional customization options allow users to personalize their feed, notifications, and overall app appearance, giving them control over their browsing experience.

How to Subscribe to X Premium

Subscribing to X Premium is straightforward. Users can sign up directly through the X app or website by navigating to the settings menu and selecting the X Premium option. From there, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the subscription process. Payment can be made using various methods, including credit card, PayPal, or other digital wallets, depending on the region.

Making the Most Out of Your Subscription

To fully benefit from X Premium, users should explore all the features and customization options available. Engaging with exclusive content and using advanced analytics tools can provide valuable insights and grow your social media presence. Additionally, taking advantage of the ad-free experience and priority support can significantly improve your overall experience on the platform.

Conclusion

X Premium represents a significant evolution in how users interact with social media platforms, offering a more refined, personalized, and enhanced experience. Whether you’re a social media enthusiast, a content creator, or a business professional, X Premium provides a suite of features designed to cater to your needs. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, services like X Premium underscore the importance of user experience in the competitive world of social media.

X Suffers Biggest Outage Since Musk’s Takeover

X Suffers Biggest Outage Since Musk’s Takeover

Since the billionaire acquired the social media site previously referred to as Twitter, Elon Musk’s X has experienced its largest outage. This was a brief but broad disturbance that seemed to be ending.

Downdetector, which is  responsible for monitoring website as well as service disruptions, states that as of 1:41 p.m. Hong Kong time on Thursday, over 94,000 users of X encountered problems with the website. An hour later, there were only roughly 7,000 difficulties reported by users.

Since Musk purchased the San Francisco-based site for a total of $44 billion at the end of 2022, there have been several disruptions, but none as significant as the one that occurred in July of that year, which impacted about 50,000 users, till this week.

X Suffers Biggest Outage Since Musk’s Takeover

Image Source: deadline.com

The most recent incident’s cause is unknown. Approximately seventy percent of the reports mentioned problems with X’s app, and twenty percent mentioned problems with its website.

Regarding the disturbance, X’s official account remained silent. “Busy now, please check back later” was an automated reply sent in an email to the organization’s press center.

Since Musk bought X in 2022 for the price of $44 billion, the firm has been beset with problems. Subsequently, there have been several job cuts, particularly of engineers and other essential personnel in charge of platform maintenance, customer care, and averting service disruptions.

Rumors have Surfaced After Musk’s Takeover

Since Musk’s takeover, there have additionally been an abundance of rumors and reports regarding X.

Significant adjustments have been made to the verification procedure, API availability, cancellations of bans for individuals deemed problematic, and a major rebranding from “Twitter” to “X.”

Now that he’s changed the platform, Musk has made it clear that he wants to prioritize free expression for all. Additionally, the businessman became the executive chair as well as the chief technology officer of the company, replacing his previous position as CEO of Twitter/X.

Even after X was made available to customers globally again, thousands of individuals are still reporting problems with the app. Thousands of people commented on a PopCrave tweet that said that Twitter/X is now back up despite an hour-long downtime, discussing the outage and its effects on different users.

“One person wrote, "We're back but this app is still broken." Another user commented, "As a professional X content creator this outage has been devastating for me, anyone else feel the same?" A third person said, "I was really crying & throwing up because I thought my Twitter was gone."

"The app is still kinda broken, sometimes it says to try again when posting even tho it's already posted, it also doesn't show the views.." a fourth wrote.

yahoo.com