FTC Slammed for Requesting Names of Twitter Files Journalists

The FTC is going after journalists who were given access to the Twitter Files, demanding a list of names of journalists who Twitter granted access to, as part of the agency’s increasingly aggressive approach against the platform.

In a series of letters sent to Twitter by the FTC, the powerful regulatory body requested a swathe of information from the social media platform, including the names of the Twitter Files journalists, and Elon Musk’s personal communications.

In its correspondence, the FTC claimed user privacy was one of its top concerns.

“We are concerned these staff reductions impact Twitter’s ability to protect consumers’ information,” wrote the FTC.

Matt Taibbi, a journalist who published a number of the Twitter Files, pointed out that the Twitter Files disclosures proved the government made numerous improper requests for user data from Twitter, something the FTC seems less concerned about.

“While #TwitterFiles reporters neither asked for nor received access to private user data, the Files themselves are full of instances of government agencies improperly asking for the same,” said Taibbi.

This is particularly infuriating because while #TwitterFiles reporters neither asked for nor received access to private user data, the Files themselves are full of instances of government agencies improperly asking for the same. pic.twitter.com/xMLaEt3Q5Z

— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) March 8, 2023

In December, Twitter Files reporter Michael Shellenberger disclosed the FBI’s requests for private user data from Twitter, something the company refused at the time.

“The FBI repeatedly requests information from Twitter that Twitter has already made clear it will not share outside of normal legal channels,” reported Shellenberger.

The email posted by Shellenberger, the FBI requests information on the VPN service providers used by targeted users, a request that would likely compromised their privacy, and a request that Twitter refuses.

“We would need legal process to provide further information about the IPs, subnets, providers, etc, associated with the authentication IPs from these accounts,” Twitter employee Yoel Roth responded.

21. Despite Twitter’s pushback, the FBI repeatedly requests information from Twitter that Twitter has already made clear it will not share outside of normal legal channels. pic.twitter.com/WyI03iZ0WF

— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) December 19, 2022

The FTC’s actions have drawn the fire of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

“This may be the most egregious threat to the First Amendment I’ve ever seen they and this harassment of Twitter started when Elon Musk bought the company. I think 12 different letters they send in a span of like two months,” said Rep. Jordan.

“The most egregious part, in my judgment, was the idea that they’re going after a journalist, and they even named personally some journalists in there who were part of the Twitter files.”

Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News. He is the author of #DELETED: Big Tech’s Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal The Election.