Toronto: Canada’s privacy watchdog has launched an investigation into X, the social media platform owned by billionaire Elon Musk, to determine whether it violated privacy laws by using Canadians’ personal data to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
In a statement on Thursday, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada confirmed the probe was initiated following a complaint.
“The investigation will focus on the platform’s compliance with federal privacy law with respect to its collection, use, and disclosure of Canadians’ personal information to train artificial intelligence models,” the office stated.
No additional details about the complaint were provided.
Concerns Over Data Usage
Brian Masse, a lawmaker from Canada’s opposition New Democratic Party, revealed that he had written to the privacy commissioner earlier this week, urging an investigation into X’s data practices.
“I’m pleased to see the privacy commissioner agree to launch an investigation into X’s use of Canadians’ data,” Masse stated. “Transparency and sunlight are crucial at a time when algorithms could be manipulated to spread misinformation.”
X has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The investigation comes amid rising tensions between Canada and the United States over trade policies, border security, and a proposed digital services tax targeting U.S. technology firms.
Musk’s AI Ambitions and X’s Data Practices
Elon Musk, who also heads Tesla and AI startup xAI, introduced the AI-powered Grok chatbot to X following his acquisition of Twitter in 2022. Grok is designed to assist users with tasks such as answering questions, problem-solving, and brainstorming.
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Last week, xAI launched Grok-3, the latest iteration of the chatbot, which is now available to Premium+ subscribers on X. Like other generative AI models, Grok requires vast amounts of data to improve its capabilities.
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Canada’s privacy laws regulate how private-sector organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information, including consent requirements, disclosure rules, data retention policies, and safeguards. The investigation into X will assess whether the company’s AI training practices comply with these legal standards.
