FTC urged to probe Twitter’s data security practices

The Federal Trade Commission has been urged by Senate Democrats, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to launch an investigation on possible Twitter data security concerns since Elon Musk's acquisition of the microblogging site last month, according to CyberScoop. Twitter's expansion of verification services to paying users has been a key concern for the lawmakers, with experts noting the escalation of financial scams and disinformation as a result of the move. Numerous companies and individuals have already been impersonated using the new verification service. "Twitter knew in advance that there was high likelihood the Twitter Blue product could be used for fraud, and still it took no action to prevent consumers from being harmed until this rampant impersonation became a public relations crisis," said the letter. Senators also expressed concern over the resignation of the platform's privacy, cybersecurity, and safety executives, as well as the mass layoffs of personnel involved in maintaining Twitter's security. "We are concerned that the actions taken by Mr. Musk and others in Twitter management could already represent a violation of the FTCs consent decree, which prohibits misrepresentation and requires that Twitter maintain a comprehensive information security program," they added.