Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti): The Rapid Support Forces in Sudan are fully ready for a ceasefire and comprehensive political talks
Israeli media: Meetings between Saudi and Israeli officials took place in the past few days regarding peace between the two sides
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: A Palestinian was shot in occupied al-Quds under the pretext of carrying out a stabbing operation and wounding a security guard at the light rail station
Biden to announce air defense, no ATACMS missiles for Ukraine: White House
IRGC Commander in the Iranian Qom Province: A terrorist cell that possessed more than 400 explosive devices was dismantled and its members were arrested
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports a serious injury by Israeli occupation gunfire east of Gaza
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli tank targeted the vicinity of the Syrian town of Ain al-Tineh, facing the occupied Majdal Shams, with three shells, causing material damage
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request to speak before Congress was turned down due to lawmakers' busy agenda
PIJ senior official Ihsan Ataya denies, in a statement to Al Mayadeen, the news that two members of the movement were martyred in Syria
China's MFA spokesperson: President Assad's visit will deepen bilateral political ties in cooperation in different sectors between China and Syria.

Twitter fined in US for selling users' data

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 May 2022 12:25

Twitter has been fined $150 million after being accused of improperly utilizing users' data.

  • Twitter fined in US for selling users' data.
    Twitter was fined in the US for selling users' data.

Twitter in the United States has been fined $150 million after law enforcement officials accused it of improperly utilizing user data to sell tailored adverts.

According to court records, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice claim that Twitter broke an agreement with regulators.

Twitter has previously stated that it would not provide personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses to advertisers. Federal investigators say the social media company broke those rules.

In December 2020, Twitter was fined £400,000 for violating Europe's GDPR data privacy guidelines. The FTC is an independent US government organization whose aim is to enforce antitrust law and promote consumer protection.

It charges Twitter with violating a 2011 FTC order that expressly prohibits the corporation from misrepresenting its privacy and security procedures.

ICYMI: FTC charges @Twitter with deceptively using account security data to sell targeted ads. FTC and @DOJCivil order Twitter to pay $150 million penalty for violating 2011 FTC order and cease profiting from deceptively collected data: https://t.co/QRWi25K2vo

— FTC (@FTC) May 26, 2022

Twitter's platform, which allows users ranging from consumers to celebrities to corporations to post 280-character messages or tweets, provides the majority of its revenue.

According to a complaint filed on behalf of the FTC by the Department of Justice, Twitter began requesting users in 2013 to supply either a phone number or an email address to strengthen account security.

"As the complaint notes, Twitter obtained data from users on the pretext of harnessing it for security purposes, but then ended up also using the data to target users with ads," said Lina Khan, who chairs the FTC.

"This practice affected more than 140 million Twitter users while boosting Twitter's primary source of revenue."

Authentication violation

Related News

Denied ATACMS, Zelensky warns without US aid, Kiev will lose the war

US to fortify southern border control with 800 additional troops

Ian Reynolds, managing director of computer security firm Secure Team, told the BBC, "Once again, Twitter is violating the trust that their users have in their platform by using their private information to their own advantage and increasing their own revenue."

He added, "Twitter led their customers into a false sense of security by acquiring their data through claiming it was for security purposes and protecting their account, but ultimately ended up using the data to target their users with ads."

"This reality shows the power that companies still have over your data and that there is a long way to go before users can be comfortable knowing that they have full control over their own digital footprint." In order to authenticate an account, Twitter requires people to provide a telephone number and email address.

Read next: Twitter to pay $150m to settle claims of users’ data misuse

This information is also useful for resetting passwords and unlocking accounts, as well as enabling two-factor authentication.

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection by delivering a code to either a phone number or an email address to assist users in logging into Twitter in addition to a username and password.

However, according to the FTC, Twitter was also using that information to grow its advertising business until at least September 2019. It is accused of allowing advertisers access to users' security information.

Twitter must:

1. Stop using the phone numbers and email addresses it illegally collected

2. Notify users about its improper use of security information

3. Tell users about the FTC law enforcement action

4. Explain how to turn off personalized adverts and review multi-factor authentication settings

5. Provide multi-factor authentication options that do not need a phone number

6. Implement an enhanced privacy and security program which includes reporting incidents to the FTC within 30 days

"The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the privacy of consumers' sensitive data," said Vanita Gupta, the US associate attorney general.

"The $150m penalty reflects the seriousness of the allegations against Twitter, and the substantial new compliance measures to be imposed as a result of the proposed settlement will help prevent further misleading tactics that threaten users' privacy."

  • Twitter
  • United States

Most Read

'Israel's' railroad network targeted by cyberattack: Israeli media

'Israel's' railroad network targeted by cyberattack: Israeli media

  • Palestine
  • 16 Sep 2023
Ukraine lost around 85% of its initial mobilized force: Field general

Ukraine lost around 85% of its initial mobilized force: Field general

  • Europe
  • 16 Sep 2023
In this photo from December 25, 2022, a Ukrainian soldier watches a drone feed from an underground command centre in Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region (AP)

Pentagon blames Russian e-warfare for failed Ukraine counteroffensive

  • US & Canada
  • 15 Sep 2023
Ukrainian soldiers ride an APC on the front line near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, on June 5, 2023 (AP)

US sees Ukrainian army demoralized, no chance to win: Seymour Hersh

  • Europe
  • 21 Sep 2023

Coverage

All
Morocco & Libya Disasters

Read Next

All
CAR leader blames West's 'plundering' of Africa for migrant crisis
Africa

West's pillage of Africa natural resources behind migrant crisis: CAR

US to strengthen border control with 800 additional troops.
US & Canada

US to fortify southern border control with 800 additional troops

French politican calls for stopping weapon shipments to Kiev
Europe

French politician demands no more weapons shipments to Kiev

France and Germany at odds once again over US arms
Europe

US arms purchases has France, Germany at odds, again

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS