Twitter to pay $7 million to whistleblower, Elon Musk replies: ‘Another reason…’ - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

On Twitter’s $7 million ‘deal’ with whistleblower, Elon Musk says: ‘Another reason why…’

Sep 10, 2022 06:45 AM IST

Earlier on Tuesday, again hitting out at Twitter, Elon Musk tweeted that 90 per cent of the comments on his tweets are actually bots or spam replies.

Amid the ongoing legal battle over the $44 million deal, billionaire Elon Musk told Twitter on Friday that its decision to pay millions of dollars to a whistleblower it had fired gives him another justification for terminating the agreement to buy the microblogging giant. Musk’s remarks came after Twitter’s decision to pay $7 million to the whistleblower ‘to settle a dispute’ came to light after a report by the Wall Street Journal.

Elon Musk's twitter account is seen on a smartphone in front of the Twitter logo(REUTERS)
Elon Musk's twitter account is seen on a smartphone in front of the Twitter logo(REUTERS)

“Twitter's failure to seek his consent before paying $7.75 million to Peiter Zatko (whistleblower) and his lawyers violated the merger agreement, which restricted when Twitter could make such payments,” Elon Musk’s lawyers said in a letter to the social media company.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Peiter Zatko, who served as Twitter's security chief until he was fired early this year, accused the social media firm of falsely claiming it had a solid security plan and misleading regulators about its poor cybersecurity defences. He also alleged that the company neglected any attempts to root out fake accounts that spread disinformation.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO had previously said that Twitter is ridden with ‘bots, spams and fake accounts,’ forcing him to terminate the takeover deal. Earlier on Tuesday, again hitting out at Twitter, Musk tweeted that 90 per cent of the comments on his tweets are actually bots or spam replies.

Musk’s lawyers said they learned of Zatko’s agreement Sept 3 - when Twitter filed paperwork in court. Zatko is scheduled to testify before a US Senate committee next week on his concerns about lax security, privacy issues and the number of bots on the platform. He has been subpoenaed to testify in the Twitter lawsuit, as well.

With inputs from news agencies

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away!- Login Now!
Stay informed on Business News along with Gold Rates Today, India News and other related updates on Hindustan Times Website and APPs
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On