The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, has known as for a listening to the executives of social media platform Twitter, a day after a former govt of the platform alleged that the Indian authorities allowed Twitter to nominate such individuals. was “forced”. have been “government agents” and didn’t have entry to the huge quantities of person information on the platform.
While the agenda of the listening to stated Twitter executives could be heard with reference to “data protection and privacy of citizens”, sources within the panel stated they have been questioned over allegations made by opposition member of parliament Twitter whistleblower Peter ‘Muge’. will do. Zatko, former head of world safety on the firm.
In a grievance filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Zatco claimed that Twitter “intentionally” allowed an “Indian government agent direct unsecured access to the company’s systems and user data”. “The Company did not in fact disclose to the users that it was believed by the executive team that the Government of India had been successful in placing agents on the Company’s payroll,” it learn.
Zatko additionally stated that in nations the place Twitter required a bodily presence and full-time staff, “the risk of harm to Twitter employees was enough to make Twitter seriously consider complying with foreign government requests that Twitter would otherwise be fundamentally involved.” will oppose”. He said the Indian government, along with Russia and Nigeria, “with various success, sought to power Twitter to rent native FTEs (full-time staff) that could possibly be used as leverage.” “.
Prior to becoming a member of Twitter, Zatko held senior positions at Google and Stripe, and on the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the place he obtained the best award accessible to civilian, non-career staff.
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Twitter has denied the allegations and stated that Zatko was fired from his position on the firm in January 2022 for “ineffective leadership and poor performance”. “What we have seen so far is a false narrative about Twitter and our privacy and data protection practices that is riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies and lacks critical context. Mr. Zatko’s accusations and opportunistic timing of Twitter, its customers and appear to be designed to attract attention and harm its shareholders. Security and privacy have long been and will continue to be a company-wide priority on Twitter,” an organization spokesperson had beforehand stated.
Twitter didn’t reply to a request for remark when summoned by the parliamentary panel.
Jatco’s revelations come as Twitter is locked in a authorized battle with the Center over a few of its content material and orders to dam accounts. Last month, the social media firm had moved the Karnataka High Court in search of overturning of the federal government’s order blocking 39 hyperlinks. Twitter has argued that the blocking orders have been outdoors the purview of the regulation.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
