HAS INDIAN TWITTER USER DONATED TO AMERICA RELIEF FUND?
SURPRISED!!!!!! Read the entire article to know the answer.
As per notification issued dated 25 May 2022, Twitter agreed with Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to Pay $150 Million Civil Penalty and to Implement Comprehensive Compliance Program to Resolve Alleged Data Privacy Violations. The settlement will resolve allegations that Twitter violated the FTC Act of USA and an administrative order issued by the FTC in March 2011 that Twitter misrepresented about how it uses non-public contact information of its users and coincidently March 2011 order was also a compromise settlement.
The US government, in fresh complaint, filed in 2019 had alleged that Twitter violated the FTC Act and the 2011 order by deceiving users about the extent to which Twitter maintained and protected the security and privacy of users’ non-public contact information. The US Government specifically, pointed that, from May 2013 to September 2019, Twitter told its users that it was collecting their telephone numbers and email addresses for account’s security purposes, but failed to disclose that it also would use this personal information to help companies send targeted advertisements to consumers. Twitter also falsely claimed to comply with the European Union-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks, which prohibit companies from processing user information in ways that are not compatible with the purposes authorized by the users.
Twitter was charged with engaging in deceptive acts or practices in violation of Section 5(a) of the FTC Act, for its failures to provide reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized access to non-public user information and to honour the privacy choices exercised by Twitter users.
The violations of the FTC act as described above was upheld on two counts. In First Count, Twitter has represented, expressly or by implication, that it uses reasonable and appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized access to non-public user information. But in truth and in fact, Twitter did not use reasonable and appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized access to non-public user information. And hence commission observed that the representation of respondent Twitter was, and is, false or misleading. In Second Count, respondent Twitter has represented, expressly or by implication, that it uses reasonable and appropriate security measures to honour the privacy choices exercised by users. But In truth and in fact, it was found that Twitter did not use reasonable and appropriate security measures to honour the privacy choices exercised by users.
The FTC concluded that acts and practices of Twitter constitute deceptive acts or practices, in or affecting commerce, in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act.
So, in a nutshell Twitter or for that matter No social media should be trusted regarding the privacy of the contents/information provided/uploaded through them.
FTC observed that Twitter had engaged in deceptive acts or practices by misrepresenting that user of protected account could control who had access to their tweets or could send private “direct messages” that could only be viewed by the recipient only when, in fact, Twitter lacked reasonable safeguards to ensure those choices were honoured. In other words Twitter is making fool of the users who believed that messages will remain Private or Protected.
It is open secret that Commercial entities regularly use Twitter to promote offers or advertise to consumers, and many tweets contain links to other websites, including websites that users may use to purchase commercial products or services. Twitter’s core business model monetizes user information by using it for advertising. It is reported that of the $3.4 billion in revenue that Twitter earned in 2019, $2.99 billion(@90%) flowed from advertising.
Twitter primarily allows companies to advertise on its service through “Promoted Products,” which can take one of three forms: (1) Promoted Tweets, which appear within a user’s timeline, search results, or profile pages, similar to an ordinary tweet; (2) Promoted Accounts, which typically appear in the same format and place as other recommended accounts; and (3) Promoted Trends, which appear at the top of the list of trending topics for an entire day.
Twitter also offers various services that advertisers can use to reach their existing marketing lists on Twitter, including “Tailored Audiences” and “Partner Audiences.” Tailored Audiences allows advertisers to target specific groups of Twitter users by matching the telephone numbers and email addresses whereas Partner Audiences allows advertisers to import marketing lists from data brokers and match against the telephone numbers and email addresses collected by Twitter.
Twitter has prompted users to provide a telephone number or email address for the express purpose of securing or authenticating their Twitter accounts. However, Twitter used this information to serve targeted advertising and further its own business interests through its Tailored Audiences and Partner Audiences services without mandatory disclosures.
The facts revealed that Twitter obtained data from users on the pretext of harnessing it for security purposes but then ended up using the data to target users with ads and this practice affected more than 140 million Twitter users, out of which 23.6 million were Indian users and also boosted Twitter’s primary source of revenue.
Consumers who share their private information have a right to know if that information is being used to help advertisers target customers under US Laws. It is no secret that all social media companies share such private information and can be held accountable.
It is highlighted through Footnote that A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the respondent that the law has been violated.
India has more than 23.6 million users on Twitter as of January 2022. If Twitter has agreed to pay @150 million dollars as a compromise settlement, then how much contribution every Indian Twitter user has made to this America Relief Fund? Yes about 6.5 $ or say Rs 500.
Just think seriously about the trap named social media laid for all, whose main intention is to gather the information. The social media companies on pretext of various security features and authentication/verification purposes go on collecting updated data from the users and by selling that data, are minting money. Just think, as a true national if you donate some amount proportionate to your data valuation to your own country, CAN YOU CHANGE FUTURE YOUR COUNTRY????
The present Twitter incident may be another eye-opener after 5 billion compromise settlement of Facebook with FTC in 2019. Who is getting benefitted by this money? This entire money is going into US treasury and at whose cost? Are 23.6 million Indian social media users are supposed to contribute in America relief Fund?
Its we, who have to collectively find out the answer for the same.
BECOME A PART OF CHANGE BY UNDERSTANDING THE DARKER SIDES OF THESE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS!!!!!
STOP SHARING INFORMATION THROUGH SUCH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS!!!
Adv. Dr. Mahendra Limaye
Cyber Legal and Data privacy Consultant
09422109619