Twitter agrees not to mislead consumers or get fined $16,000

THE MICRO-BLOGGING FIRM Twitter has promised to create a comprehensive information security program for its website and not mislead consumers about how it protects their privacy.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced Twitter's promises as part of its public statement about the settlement between it and the micro-blogging website.

By accepting the settlement, Twitter is not admitting it did anything wrong - how lawyer-like - but if it is found to have violated its promises in the future it can look forward to a civil penalty of up to $16,000 for each violation.

Helpfully the FTC's website explains that the Commission's activities can be followed on Twitter. Oh irony, thy name is the US government.

The FTC's complaint alleged that between January and May of 2009, hackers were able to gain administrative control of Twitter on two occasions. The settlement agreed was first proposed in June last year.

In its statement the FTC said, "Twitter will be barred for 20 years from misleading consumers about the extent to which it protects the security, privacy, and confidentiality of non-public consumer information." And for its "comprehensive information security program" the firm must ensure that an independent auditor will assess it every other year for a decade. µ