Dem Lawmakers Investigating Twitter Whistleblower’s Explosive Claims

Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Congressional lawmakers are probing allegations made by Twitter’s former chief of security in an explosive whistleblower complaint that includes claims of deception around data security and privacy and misleading tech entrepreneur Elon Musk about the number of bots on the platform.

The logo of social media giant Twitter on Oct. 12, 2021. (Kirill Kuryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images)

Peiter Zatko, the whistleblower who served as Twitter’s head of security for around 14 months before being fired earlier this year, alleged in a disclosure obtained by The Epoch Times that Twitter’s security and privacy systems were grossly inadequate and that the company misled regulators, investors, and Musk about fake “spam” bots on the platform.

While Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has called Zatko’s claims a “false narrative,” U.S. lawmakers seem determined to make up their own minds and are investigating.

‘Serious Concerns’

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that he is looking into Zatko’s allegations.

“The whistleblower’s allegations of widespread security failures at Twitter, willful misrepresentations by top executives to government agencies, and penetration of the company by foreign intelligence raise serious concerns,” Durbin said.

“As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will continue investigating this issue and take further steps as needed to get to the bottom of these alarming allegations,” he said, adding that if the whistleblower’s claims are accurate, there may be “dangerous” risks for Twitter users in terms of data privacy and security.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter (pdf) to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice expressing “significant concerns” about the whistleblower’s allegations.

“According to Peiter Zatko, Twitter’s former head of security, Twitter has systematically and repeatedly failed to take basic security measures to protect its user data and has misled investors, regulators, and the public about the strength of its security systems,” Markey said in a statement.

Markey added that Zatko’s allegations suggest Twitter has again “flagrantly violated” its consent decree with the FTC just months after the company agreed to pay a $150 million penalty for failing to keep Twitter users’ data secure.

“I strongly urge the federal government to investigate Zatko’s claims and, if necessary, take strong and swift action against Twitter to ensure Twitter user data is properly protected,” the senator wrote.

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in a statement that he was “carefully reviewing this whistleblower disclosure and assessing next steps.”

“These allegations are alarming and reaffirm the need to pass my comprehensive privacy legislation to protect Americans’ online data,” Pallone added, referring to the American Data Privacy and Protection Act that he co-sponsored.

Several other lawmakers have issued similar statements.

The Epoch Times reached out to Twitter with a request for comment on Zatko’s claims but received no response.

Parag Agrawal, CEO of Twitter, walks to a morning session during the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho on July 7, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

‘False Narrative’

Twitter spokesperson Anna Hughes was cited by The Washington Post as saying that Zatko’s complaint seems to contain “inconsistencies and inaccuracies” and takes things out of context.

“Mr. Zatko’s allegations and opportunistic timing appear designed to capture attention and inflict harm on Twitter, its customers and its shareholders,” she said, according to the outlet.

In a similar vein, Twitter’s CEO also pushed back on Zatko’s claims, reportedly writing in a message to staff that was shared on social media by CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan that the whistleblower’s complaint appears to be a “false narrative that is riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies, and presented without important context.”

“We will pursue all paths to defend our integrity as a company and set the record straight,” he added.

Key Takeaways from Whistleblower Complaint

Zatko claims that, despite Twitter agreeing in its settlement with the FTC to put in place stronger data security protections, the situation over time actually became worse.

His complaint alleges that Twitter’s internal systems let far too many employees access users’ personal data that they didn’t need for their jobs, opening the door to potential abuse.

Read more here…