The FTC has reached a settlement with Twitter over events in April of 2009 resulting in unauthorized data disclosure of personal user information. This includes emails, private messages, possibly phone numbers, you name it. I’m sure there were some naughty tweets discovered as well.
Normally I’d care less about this but for some reason I really want to point out the inconsistency of the FTC. They worry about Twitter hacks but how often do you hear about the FTC jumping in and going toe-to-toe with other companies about their security? The FTC never got involved when it was possible to hack into Hotmail accounts by changing the URL. I didn’t hear about the FTC suing TJ Maxx when they were breached and thousands of credit card numbers were stolen. Facebook suffers privacy issues and technical exploits and the FTC says nothing.
Could this be related to the government wanting to have an “internet kill-switch?” In the event of “cyber warfare” they want the ability to turn off the Internet (good luck on that champs). Ask yourself: why does the government want to have control of the most advanced communication tool in the existence of mankind? I don’t think cyberwarfare (and if you use that term you need to kick your own ass) is a good excuse.
Get with the program, government agency, and have some consistency. Your intervention is costing me tax dollars that could be better spent.
