“It doesn’t matter who has the keys if you don’t have locks on the doors,” he told lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “It’s not a stretch to say that one employee within the company could take over the accounts of all the senators in this chamber.”
But as the latest in a long list of blockbuster tech hearings featuring explosive allegations of Silicon Valley misconduct, there is little indication it will produce much more than outrage in Washington.
Twitter spokeswoman Rebecca Hahn said in response to the session that “it only confirms that the claims of Mr. Zatko are full of inconsistencies and inaccuracies”.
Here are three highlights from the session and what may come next in Congress:
Whistleblowers, lawmakers cast doubt on FTC as privacy enforcer
Zatko and lawmakers slammed the FTC at the hearing, calling it an ineffective beat cop when it comes to policing data privacy violations. The remarks signal broad bipartisan interest in giving regulators greater tools to crack down on tech giants.
“Honestly, I think the FTC is a little over their heads,” Zatko said, adding that at the company “foreign regulators were much more afraid than the FTC.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) said Tuesday that he is working with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on legislation to create a new regulator to oversee major technology companies. A congressional aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks, confirmed that lawmakers are discussing a bill to create a new technology regulator, but said a final deal is not imminent.
Democratic lawmakers have floated proposals along these lines in the past, but Graham’s participation in the talks marks a rare example of Republican support for the concept.
However, that approach is unlikely to gain significant traction among Republicans, who have in the past shot down what they have cast as efforts to expand an already sprawling bureaucracy.
“I don’t think we need more bureaucrats. We just need some rules for them to enforce, which we currently don’t have,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) told me Tuesday.
Will Twitter’s CEO retire on Capitol Hill?
One of the biggest points of contention among lawmakers was Twitter’s CEO Parag Agrawal‘s apparent refusal to appear before the panel to answer for alleged security vulnerabilities. If some lawmakers have their way, the tech boss may soon not have much say in the matter.
“I like the idea” of issuing a subpoena for Agrawal’s testimony, Graham told reporters. As a former CEO Jack Dorsey testified repeatedly, it would be Agrawal’s first time as head of Twitter. Twitter declined to comment on the panel’s invitation.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called it “unacceptable” that Agrawal refused to testify, but said he should be given “another opportunity to come forward voluntarily.” If he continues to refuse, Blumenthal said, “then a subpoena would be appropriate.”
Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the speaker and the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary, each told reporters they needed to consult with each other on the matter. Asked about the possibility of another hearing on the whistleblower’s allegations, Durbin replied: “It’s possible. I will take this up with Senator Grassley.”
Grassley, who earlier said Twitter cited his ongoing legal battle with Elon Musk as the reason why Agrawal didn’t show up took a shot at the CEO. “He’s hiding behind a suit that’s going on in Delaware. What does that have to do with what we want to know from him?” he told me.
Review of whistleblower claims is spreading in Congress
Senate Judiciary lawmakers aren’t the only ones eager to hear from Zatko on Capitol Hill.
Blumenthal said the whistleblower has met with his personal staff, as well as aides on the Senate Judiciary and Commerce panels, and said there is “a need for continued investigative work by both committees” regarding the allegations.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over data privacy legislation, also met with Zatko, spokesman CJ Young confirmed, as staff members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have confirmed, according to the spokesman Rachel Cohen.
“Consistent with the committee’s responsibilities to conduct oversight of counter-disclosure risks, we are carefully reviewing Mr. Zatko’s disclosures,” Cohen said.
The judge allows most of the Texas antitrust lawsuit against Google to proceed
judge P. Kevin Castel rejected one request in the lawsuit filed by attorneys general for 16 states and Puerto Rico, but allowed the rest to move forward, Bloomberg News Leah Nylen reports. The 2020 lawsuit argued that Google monopolized the technology behind digital advertising.
“The states, led by Texas, alleged that Google entered into a secret agreement, nicknamed Jedi Blue, to give Meta Platforms Inc. advantages on the exchange it runs to buy and sell online advertising,” Nylen writes. “In return, the social media company abandoned plans to adopt a new type of technology that would have undermined Google’s online advertising monopoly.” Castel, however, rejected this argument, writing that there is “nothing inexplicable or suspicious” about companies making such a deal.
In a statement posted on its website, Google claimed Castel’s refutation of some of the states’ claims. The ruling underscores how the lawsuit is “deeply flawed,” the company said, adding that “we look forward to setting the record straight on the remaining claims.”
Developers complain about Meta’s dominance over the virtual reality ecosystem
Facebook parent Meta has poured billions of dollars into virtual reality services, helping the market grow and become a dominant player in the space. Naomi Nix reports.
“The sheer size of Meta’s investment—and its increasingly aggressive moves to consolidate control of the virtual reality developer ecosystem—has thus far given Meta virtually unchecked power in the nascent market to determine which manufacturers software have a shot at economic success and which can stay in the dark,” writes Naomi.
Virtual reality developers complain that the company has strict requirements on which apps can be listed on its app store, its string of acquisitions and hires have stifled competition, and it can release competing apps after gathering data on the most popular apps. in its app store.
Meta said that these concerns are misplaced. The company’s approach to virtual reality aims to make “VR accessible,” he said. “We understand that we will not be successful if VR developers do not thrive,” the company spokesperson Chris Sgro said in a statement.
Twitter shareholders vote to approve Musk’s bid after the whistleblower testified on Capitol Hill
The vote is seen as a strategic move by Twitter ahead of next month’s trial in Delaware court, where it will face Elon Musk. Faiz Siddhi reports. Twitter has argued that Musk should not be able to get out of the $44 billion deal to buy the company and wants to force him to stick with the deal he agreed to.
“Some investors, and governance and legal experts, have pointed to the shareholder vote as a key date on the calendar, signaling Twitter’s desire to close the case and put pressure on Musk as the deal heads to court,” Faiz writes. . “Some of those experts have also cited the shareholder vote as a possible trigger for settlement talks as the case nears trial.”
Journalists on Twitter discussed the former head of Twitter security Peter ZatkoSenate Judiciary Committee Testimony. journalism Kevin Collier:
Mudge — one of the most accomplished and arguably most beloved figures in cybersecurity — began his Senate testimony with his microphone off. So never feel self-conscious about doing this on a work call ever again.
— Kevin Collier (@kevincollier) September 13, 2022
Our colleague, Will Oremus:
Gotta say, Twitter security *sounds* like a clown show, based on Mudge’s claims – considering Twitter disputes some of his claims and isn’t around to refute them. (Sen. Grassley said Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal declined an invitation, citing ongoing litigation with Musk.)
— Will Oremus (@WillOremus) September 13, 2022
Twitter’s unique problem IMO is that a teenager can attack the stock markets by hacking the president’s account and declaring World War III, not that it allows many people to access its data feed.
— Adi Robertson (@thedextriarchy) September 13, 2022
This Midwestern plant was dead. Electric vehicles revived it. (Jeanne Whalen)
Apple plans to roll out new ad spots in App Store by year’s end (CNBC)
Tech stocks tumble in market sell-off (CNBC)
DOJ antitrust chief says merger efficiency defense under review (Bloomberg)
Meet the mind behind Planet Money’s TikTok (Teen Vogue)
- Current and former executives of social media companies testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee today at 10 a.m.
- A House Small Business Committee panel holds a hearing on right to repair today at 10 a.m.
- A panel of the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on protecting Americans’ personal information from foreign adversaries today at 3:30 p.m.
- FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel speaks today at the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Aerospace Summit.
- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the XR Association are hosting the Augmented and Virtual Reality Policy Conference today.
- A House Oversight and Reform Committee panel holds a hearing on federal IT Friday at 9 a.m.
- Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, speaks at a Heritage Foundation event on countering disinformation and foreign disinformation while protecting civil liberties Monday at 1 p.m.
that‘That’s all for today – thank you so much for joining us! Be sure to tell others to subscribe of technology 202 here. Get in touch with tips, comments or greetings I tweet or email.
