The Federal Trade Commission is stepping up its investigation into some of Twitter’s most controversial decisions since Elon Musk took over the company last fall. That includes the company’s massive layoffs and the launch of Twitter Blue, as well as the company’s dealings with journalists involved in the so-called “Twitter Files,” according to a report. in The Wall Street Journal.
At issue is Twitter’s 2022 with the FTC over its use of “misleading” ad targeting. Along with a $150 million fine, the company at the time agreed to a “comprehensive information privacy and security program,” as well as other stringent measures intended to protect user privacy. But there has been widespread concern from lawmakers and others that Twitter has not adhered to those requirements under Musk’s leadership.
Now, The Wall Street Journal reports that the FTC has sent at least a dozen letters to Twitter since last fall in an effort to learn more about the company’s handling of the layoffs, Twitter Blue, the “Twitter Files” and other topics. The agency is also reportedly trying to depose Musk as part of the investigation. The House Judiciary Committee also released a report about the FTC’s inquiries to Twitter.
The report is not the first suggestion that Twitter may have run afoul of the regulator since the Musk acquisition. The FTC previously said it had tracked the departures of key privacy and security executives. Lawmakers and others have also raised concerns about the rushed launch of Twitter Blue, which released without proper privacy or security review, a requirement of Twitter’s FTC settlement.
Likewise, as Bloomberg he pointed the settlement also requires Twitter to limit internal access to Twitter user data. Security experts have questioned whether Musk’s decision to turn over stacks of internal documents and grant journalists access toYou could violate your obligations to the FTC.
In Musk called the FTC’s actions “a shameful case of weaponizing a government agency for political gain and suppressing the truth.” Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee also the agency’s investigation as “harassment.”
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