Irish DPC Takes Legal Action against Twitter for Alleged Data Violations
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has initiated legal proceedings against ‘Twitter International Unlimited Company’ for alleged data violations after negotiations for a resolution without legal action failed.
The complaint concerns the data collection by ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) and the use of this data to train the AI model ‘Grok’ developed by xAI, both owned by Elon Musk.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has decided to sue Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, again for alleged manipulation and exploitation on Altman’s part.
On July 25, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) seemed optimistic about a resolution without legal action with ‘Twitter International Unlimited Company.’ However, the situation has evolved, prompting the DPC to initiate official proceedings with the High Court against the company for alleged data violations.
“The DPC has been engaged with X on this issue for a number of months, our last interaction being yesterday. We are therefore surprised by today’s developments. We have contacted X today and await a response. We expect further engagements early next week.” – Graham Doyle, Deputy Commissioner of the DPC, prior to the situation becoming more complex.
The Origin of the DPC’s Dispute against X and Grok
The complaint concerns the social media platform ‘X,’ formerly known as Twitter, and the AI model ‘Grok’ developed by xAI, both companies belonging to Elon Musk. According to the Irish news site RTE, the DPC was compelled to take action after X refused to cease collecting data from users in the EU, despite repeated requests.
Key Players
Elon Musk, the owner of X and xAI, has often emphasized the synergy between these two companies. xAI’s Grok AI model, for example, requires a paid subscription to the X platform to access. Data generated by X users is used to train Grok and other internal products of X.
User Options and DPC Actions
While users of X can opt-out of their data being used to train the products of both companies, the DPC claims that the data was already being used before this option was introduced. According to the DPC, X and xAI have not adequately rectified the situation.
Ongoing Disputes and Tensions between Elon Musk and Sam Altman
In parallel, Elon Musk has also decided to sue Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of rival company OpenAI, again. Musk had previously sued Altman and OpenAI, arguing that the company was using its non-profit status to mask its profit-driven intentions. This lawsuit was dropped in June.
Musk’s new lawsuit against Altman is based on the idea that Altman manipulated Musk, exploiting his humanitarian nature to persuade him to invest in an allegedly non-profit company.
Legal Proceedings and Uncertainties
Court records indicate that an action has been filed, although it is still uncertain what the next steps will be. The judge presiding over the case has granted permission to serve short notice on the injunction proceedings. At this stage, it is unclear whether this will affect X or xAI users in the EU.
