City
Epaper

FBI report of Chinese agent working at Twitter sparks calls for govt action

By IANS | Published: September 19, 2022 7:33 PM

Washington, Sep 19 Chinese rights activists overseas have said that they are concerned but unsurprised at recent allegations ...

Open in App

Washington, Sep 19 Chinese rights activists overseas have said that they are concerned but unsurprised at recent allegations that an agent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working at Twitter, saying such infiltration is part of Beijing's global influence operation, media reports said.

The FBI informed Twitter of at least one Chinese agent among its employees, according to US Senator Chuck Grassley, while hacker and whistleblower Peiter Zatko said the company's lax security sparked fears that personal data on Chinese users was being collected by authorities in China, RFA reported.

Zatko, Twitter's former head of security, levelled the allegations during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, detailing internal clashes between some who sought advertising revenue from China, and others who were concerned about doing business inside China amid rising geopolitical tensions, the report said.

"This was a big internal conundrum," Zatko told the hearing, adding that Twitter appeared reluctant to turn away from China.

"In a nutshell, if we were already in bed, it would be problematic if we lost that revenue stream," he said.

Zatko said the FBI had told the company that China's secret service, the Ministry of State Security, had an agent on the payroll, RFA reported.

A Twitter spokesperson said the microblogging platforms hiring process was independent of foreign influence, and that access to personal data was subject to stringent controls, adding that Zatko's allegations were "riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies."

France-based commentator Wang Longmeng said the CCP has long targeted Western social media platforms to wage its overseas influence campaigns, and that some of the company's regional executives have close ties to the CCP, including Kathy Chen, RFA reported.

Chen's 2016 appointment as Twitter's managing director for Greater China raised concerns in particular, as it emerged she had served as a software engineer in the People's Liberation Army's strategic missile force.

"Kathy Chen, who had a military background, joined [the company], then Fei-fei Li became an independent director," Wang said. "The CCP's infiltration of Western media is one of its key strategies."

"It's not surprising that the whistleblower revealed there are Chinese agents at Twitter, because there have been suspensions and deleted accounts, and yet Twitter still allows CCP diplomats to spread rumors and lies," he said, RFA reported.

While China bans Twitter, Facebook and other US social media firms, government agencies and diplomats use the platforms to reach an international audience.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Tags: Peiter ZatkousbeijingTwitterChinese Communist PartyChuck GrassleyTwitter twitterTwitter sevaTwitter cmoTwitter inc.
Open in App

Related Stories

TechnologyElon Musk Confirms X Will Begin Hiding Likes

InternationalUS: One Passenger Shot Dead, Suspect in Custody After Hijacked Bus Pursuit in Georgia; Watch Videos

NationalPM Modi, PMO Updates 'X' Profile with New Photos

International“Unacceptable Security Violation”: Elon Musk Threatens to Ban iPhones from His Companies over Apple-OpenAI Deal (See Tweets)

InternationalUS Fire: Over 1.2 Million Chickens Burn to Death in Massive Blaze at Egg Facility in Illinois (Watch Video)

International Realted Stories

InternationalCOP28 President welcomes G7 Apulia Leaders' Communique support of commitments made in UAE Consensus

InternationalIndian pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat for Haj: Indian envoy to Saudi

InternationalUAE President inquires about wellbeing of UAE pilgrims in phone call with Head of Pilgrims' Affairs Office

InternationalUS designates neo-Nazi Nordic group as global terrorists

InternationalEight Israeli soldiers killed in Rafah explosion, IDF confirms