The House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for documents related to its investigation into Twitter’s handling of user data. The move is part of a broader effort by Congress to scrutinize the tech industry’s use of personal data and the effectiveness of antitrust enforcement.
The subpoena requests that the FTC provide the House Judiciary Committee with all documents related to its investigation into Twitter, including any findings or conclusions. The committee is particularly interested in Twitter’s use of data for targeted advertising and the potential impact on user privacy.
This is not the first time that Twitter has come under scrutiny from lawmakers. In 2019, the company agreed to pay a $5 million fine to settle charges by the FTC that it had violated users’ privacy by using phone numbers and email addresses provided for security purposes for targeted advertising.
The House Judiciary Committee’s move to subpoena the FTC for Twitter-related documents is part of a broader effort by Congress to examine the power and influence of large technology companies. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have raised concerns about the industry’s dominance and the potential for anticompetitive behavior.
The House Judiciary Committee is also currently conducting an antitrust investigation into several other large tech companies, including Amazon, Apple, and Google. The committee has held several hearings on the matter and has requested documents and testimony from the companies involved.
While the tech industry has pushed back against the scrutiny from Congress, lawmakers argue that it is necessary to ensure that these companies are not abusing their power and stifling competition. The House Judiciary Committee’s subpoena of the FTC for Twitter-related documents is just the latest example of this ongoing effort to hold large tech companies accountable for their actions.
As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen what impact it will have on the tech industry and whether it will result in any significant changes to the way these companies operate. However, it is clear that Congress is committed to addressing these issues and will continue to investigate and scrutinize the tech industry’s use of personal data and potential anticompetitive behavior.
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