Whistleblower Peiter “Mudge” Zatko’s explosive accusations about security concerns at Twitter are almost certain to have sparked a Federal Trade

Twitter whistleblower has likely sparked FTC probe — and Elon Musk could get hit

submited by

Style Pass

2022-09-26 19:00:34

Whistleblower Peiter “Mudge” Zatko’s explosive accusations about security concerns at Twitter are almost certain to have sparked a Federal Trade Commission investigation, according to experts — and that’s not necessarily good news for Elon Musk.

Former FTC officials told The Post they are confident the agency has opened an investigation into Twitter — but added that any potential fine would come after next month’s courtroom battle with Musk, potentially requiring the mogul to pony up billions of dollars in penalties if he’s forced to take over the company.

Zatko — a famed hacker who did a nearly two-year stint as Twitter’s head of security until earlier this year — has accused Twitter of tolerating disturbing security problems, including allegedly keeping a Chinese spy on its payroll.

The ex-FTC officials say the probe likely centers around whether the conduct alleged by Zatko means Twitter breached a so-called consent decree from 2011 that requires the company to “not misrepresent” the extent to which it protects the security and privacy of users. The investigation could potentially lead to billions in fines and a new, more restrictive decree that personally names Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, sources said.