FTC demands Twitter communications related to Musk, names of journalists

KARAH RUCKER: HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE PUBLISHED PARTS OF THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION’S DEMANDS OF ELON MUSK IN THEIR ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO TWITTER.

THE F-T-C IS ASKING FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO MUSK BE TURNED OVER — AS WELL AS DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT JOURNALISTS WHO WERE GIVEN ACCESS TO COMPANY RECORDS THAT RESULTED IN MULTIPLE  “TWITTER FILES” EXPOSES.

TWITTER PRIVACY AT CENTER OF PROBE

THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IS OVERSEEING TWITTER-PRACTICES IN THE NAME OF PROTECTING USERS FROM POTENTIAL SECURITY RISKS.

ONE OF THE CONCERNS RAISED BY THE FTC WAS ELON MUSK ALLOWING JOURNALISTS TO INVESTIGATE MATTERS OF CENSORSHIP.

FTC WANTS JOURNALISTS’ NAMES

THE FTC WANTS TO KNOW THE NAMES OF JOURNALISTS INVOLVED AND WHAT INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS MUSK GAVE THEM ACCESS TO.

THE FTC IS ASKING MUSK TO ANSWER WHETHER THE TWITTER FILES WAS A BREACH OF TWITTER’S PRIVACY OBLIGATIONS.

PARTISAN DIVIDE OVER MUSK TAKEOVER

THE HOUSE PANEL CRITICIZED THE FTC’S DEMANDS OUT OF MUSK. THERE HAS BEEN A PARTISAN DIVIDE OVER MUSK’S ACQUISITION OF TWITTER.

THE HOUSE PANEL WROTE – “THERE IS NO LOGICAL REASON, FOR EXAMPLE, WHY THE FTC NEEDS TO KNOW THE IDENTITIES OF JOURNALISTS ENGAGING WITH TWITTER. THERE IS NO LOGICAL REASON WHY THE FTC, ON THE BASIS OF USER PRIVACY, NEEDS TO ANALYZE ALL OF TWITTER’S PERSONNEL DECISIONS. AND THERE IS NO LOGICAL REASON WHY THE FTC NEEDS EVERY SINGLE INTERNAL TWITTER COMMUNICATION ABOUT ELON MUSK.” 

FTC GRANTED OVERSIGHT POWERS

THE FTC WAS GRANTED NEW OVERSIGHT POWERS OVER TWITTER LAST YEAR — AFTER TWITTER SETTLED A PRIVACY LAWSUIT WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCY.

THE FTC HAS RECENTLY CLAMPED DOWN ON TWITTER AFTER SWIFT CHANGES TO ITS STAFF — MUSK DOWNSIZING THE COMPANY FROM 8 THOUSAND TO TWO THOUSAND EMPLOYEES.

TWITTER LAYOFFS IN QUESTION

THE FTC IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE DOWNSIZE HAS JEOPARDIZED ITS SECURITY – WHILE MUSK SAYS IT WAS TO SAVE THE COMPANY FROM GOING BANKRUPT.

FTC COULD SANCTION MUSK

IF THE FTC FINDS ANY VIOLATIONS TO PRIVACY LAWS – THE AGENCY COULD SEEK FINANCIAL PENALTIES OUT OF TWITTER OR SANCTION RESPONSIBLE EXECUTIVES — INCLUDING ELON MUSK.