Donald Trump · Elon Musk · xAI · FTC · X · FCC · Ars Technica
Elon Musk tries again to escape FTC audits of X data handling
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 2 sources. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◎ Multiple-sources
Critics hope to keep Elon Musk from escaping a strict data-privacy order imposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shortly before he took over Twitter.
Key facts
- Pate also suggested that the FTC should consider two post-acquisition data breaches by X: 200 million records in 2023 and 2.8 billion profiles in 2025
- The FTC’s action came after Twitter voluntarily disclosed that between May 2013 and September 2019, a coding error accidentally allowed phone numbers and email addresses that users shared
- The Irish Data Protection Commission’s 2024 formal inquiry into X Corp.’s use of user data to train the Grok AI model without adequate consent” is “evidence that X Corp
- Seemingly poking fun at Musk’s failed attempt to back out of buying Twitter, one joked, “buyer beware
Summary
The FTC order placed restrictions on X’s data use for 20 years, while requiring regular independent audits and granting the agency authority to request documents as needed to ensure compliance. The FTC’s action came after Twitter voluntarily disclosed that between May 2013 and September 2019, a coding error accidentally allowed phone numbers and email addresses that users shared for two-factor authentication purposes to be used for targeted advertising aimed at those same users. Musk tried and failed to get the order revoked in 2023. In response, the FTC pointed out that Musk’s takeover of Twitter raised genuine questions about the company’s ability to comply with the order, particularly after he terminated key staff who for years had ensured compliance.