Twitter Guarantees User Protection Post-Spying Controversy
In a shocking turn of events, two former Twitter employees, Ali Alzabarah and Ahmad Abouammo, along with a third individual, Ahmed Almutairi, have been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with spying for Saudi Arabia[1]. The case details a covert operation where these employees allegedly abused their access to gather information on Saudi critics.
Ahmad Abouammo, a 41-year-old US citizen, is the only one of the three in custody. The other two, Alzabarah and Almutairi, have arrest warrants issued against them, with the latter believed to be in Saudi Arabia[1].
The indictment states that Abouammo, who was a marketing manager, was cultivated through gifts and a tour of Twitter’s headquarters before he began abusing his access to gather information on Saudi critics[1]. Alzabarah, a former Twitter engineer, is accused of accessing information from 6000 Twitter accounts, 33 of which Saudi authorities submitted law enforcement requests to Twitter on[1].
Twitter’s internal investigation identified and linked specific state-run influence and misinformation operations to Saudi Arabia, including tens of thousands of fake or compromised accounts spreading propaganda or harassing dissidents[2]. The company publicly removed thousands of accounts linked to such influence campaigns, particularly after the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, when Saudi-linked accounts were found to be actively working to influence public opinion in English and Arabic on the issue[2].
Twitter’s response involved shutting down thousands of fake accounts engaged in manipulation and enhancing efforts to police misinformation and foreign influence operations[2]. However, it appears the insider spying by employees exploited Twitter’s internal access controls before detection and prosecution led to formal charges[1].
Twitter has tools in place to protect the privacy and ability of users who share their principles with the world and hold those in power to account. The company is committed to protecting those who use its services to call for equality, individual freedoms, and human rights.
Last year, Twitter's office in Dubai gave Saudi authorities information which led to the arrest of Turki bin Abdul Aziz Al-Jasser, a journalist who ran the Kashkool Twitter account, which exposed human rights violations in Saudi Arabia[3]. This incident underscores the importance of Twitter's commitment to protect its users, especially those who use the platform to advocate for human rights.
In summary, the case reveals a covert Saudi intelligence effort leveraging compromised Twitter insiders to spy on dissidents via Twitter’s platform, with Twitter responding by account bans and cooperating with U.S. authorities in prosecuting the employees involved[1][2]. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for social media platforms to prioritise user privacy and security, especially in the face of state-sponsored cyber espionage.
References: [1] The Verge [2] The Washington Post [3] The New York Times
- The U.S. Department of Justice has charged three former Twitter employees, including Ahmad Abouammo, Ali Alzabarah, and Ahmed Almutairi, for allegedly spying for Saudi Arabia.
- Ahmad Abouammo, a marketing manager, is accused of abusing his access to Twitter to gather information on Saudi critics, after being cultivated through gifts and a tour of Twitter’s headquarters.
- Twitter’s internal investigation revealed state-run influence and misinformation operations linked to Saudi Arabia, including tens of thousands of fake or compromised accounts spreading propaganda or harassing dissidents.
- Twitter responded to the discovery of such operations by shutting down thousands of fake accounts and enhancing efforts to police misinformation and foreign influence operations.
- The case serves as a stark reminder of the need for social media platforms to prioritize user privacy and security in the face of state-sponsored cyber espionage, such as the covert Saudi intelligence effort that leveraged compromised Twitter insiders to spy on dissidents.
