Elon Musk Accused of Undermining Twitter by US Senators, FTC Probe Urged

Seven Democratic senators despatched a letter on Thursday to the Federal Commerce Fee, warning that Twitter, now owned by Elon Musk, was appearing in disregard of customers and urging the company to analyze any breach of a consent decree that the FTC inked with Twitter. The lawmakers, together with Senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren, requested the company to think about enforcement actions in opposition to the corporate and in opposition to particular person executives the place acceptable.

“In current weeks, Twitter’s new Chief Government Officer, Elon Musk, has taken alarming steps which have undermined the integrity and security of the platform, and introduced new options regardless of clear warnings these modifications can be abused for fraud, scams, and harmful impersonation,” the lawmakers mentioned in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan.

Neither Twitter nor the FTC instantly responded to requests for remark.

The billionaire’ s first two weeks as Twitter’s proprietor have been marked by fast change and chaos. He rapidly fired Twitter’s earlier CEO and different senior leaders after which laid off half its employees earlier this month.

There have been issues that the upheaval would result in Twitter failing to abide by a Might 2022 settlement with the US regulator through which Twitter agreed to enhance its privateness practices and place accountability on individuals who held sure positions.

In a Might 2022 settlement with the US regulator, Twitter agreed to enhance its privateness practices and positioned accountability on individuals who held sure positions. However compliance has come into query as Musk pursues fast launches of options to steer the debt-laden, money-losing firm into profitability. As well as, a number of executives accountable for following the orders have give up or been pushed out.

The FTC mentioned final week it was “monitoring current developments at Twitter with deep concern. No CEO or firm is above the regulation, and corporations should observe our consent decrees.”

© Thomson Reuters 2022