Earlier today, Valleywag ran a story about the U.S. government having access to Twitter’s “firehose” of data. The news apparently came from a source who presumably overheard a Twitter employee talking about it at lunch. To categorize that as “flimsy” would be an understatement. And so it should come as a shock to no one that Twitter is denying the allegations.
“Your characterization of this as bullshit is perfect. You could also go with laughable, libelous, and absolutely untrue,” Twitter co-founder Biz Stone wrote to us in an email this evening. I had asked if the news was “BS” and if Stone cared to comment about it on the record. Obviously, he did.
And obviously, he’s pissed off. And he should be if there’s no truth to this whatsoever. Valleywag has since updated the post with a quote from Twitter denying the allegations.
Here’s the core of what Valleywag wrote:
Whoever is seeding the restaurant gossip is being fairly specific. A source tells us that a loose-lipped Twitter staffer recently dished at a lunch that the company has allowed a federal agency to set up a tap to monitor a “firehose” of its data, including private details on users, presumably including private “direct messages,” IP addresses and account information. The Feds — the NSA would seem the most logical agency —then analyze the data to mine for information they deem of interest.
It is worth noting that Twitter did apparently talk to the U.S. government during the Iranian protests because the service was scheduled to have downtime that would have stopped the flow of communications. While Twitter did not deny talking with the government at that time, it was quick to note that it plays no role in its decision-making for the company. As Twitter is a fast growing communication platform being used around the world, obviously, that’s important.
[photo: Thewolfweb]
I’ll be first to say it: Valleywag writers are overrated and make up crap to try and get readers. Most of the stuff they write about is ripped right off of TechCrunch and then embellished with lies. I can’t believe so many people read [and respect] their stuff.
This is just another glorious example of Valleywag failing.
You must work for Mike and be a hater…the stuff is true at times so stop drinking the Kool Aid in the Valley from the likes of Google and so forth.
1. I don’t live in the valley.
2. I don’t work for Mike. [Wish I did]
3. The only stuff that is true on Valleywag is common knowledge. I tried to like them, I really did. They just kept posting (1) fake stories (2) rigged competitions (3) common knowledge that isn’t news (4) all the above.
You may call me biased for TechCrunch, but the only reason I’m biased is because their reporting is actually legitimate.
You’re right Borgulous. Valleywag is the HuffPost/Perez of the tech world.
Also, I prefer CEOs using a simple ‘BS’ versus long drawn out politically correct statements. It’s new era!
valleywag is the equivalent of tmz.com but for nerds. its 2nd rate journalism at best.
techcrunch.com is like People, grabs your attention with fancy headlines but with substance to boot.
It would be more logical for the governent to access Google data – the Goog knows pretty much all about us.
Basically no one is given access to the data unless its really important for the govt to know about a specific person!
Obviously bullshit, and I think it’s no shocker that Twitter is bringing on in house legal assistance. Do you blame them?
A good point.
I agree. This seems to be a rumor cooked by Valleywag than information dished out by loose-lipped Twitter employee. Great to see Stone approving ‘BS’ tag to the news.
“While Twitter did not denying talking with the government at that time, it was quick to note that it…”
>> MG should it not be “deny”?
Also, are these Valleywag guys against Twitter? There is another story on “Who’s Abandoning Twitter” (in Valleywag) about how celebrities abandon Twitter!
In my view, TC has been far better in its stand on Twitter – neither cuddling it nor condemning it.
MG, are you really gonna fall for every single twitter PR stunt? Few hours ago, nonsense about a “book published on twitter”.. Now you’re denying rumours nobody heard about. What’s next?
Yeah, me reaching out to Twitter for comment on a serious story is a nice PR stunt. Keep up the good commenting work.
mc hammer…stay low from the pr franks and stop drinnking their kool aid…you will do a lot better down the road and have a higher user base…remember that.
sorry i meant to say mg hammer and not mc…
clever fail
Serious story? So you asked when they’re filing the lawsuit due to Twitter having been “libeled” by VW? Unless they do, this is all just hot air for the TC-Twitter circle-jerk.
Interesting, and does the fact that Biz Stone is vehemently denying it actually make it even more plausible (i.e. real?)
Then again, if agencies under the auspices of the DNI are already tapping ISP traffic (perhaps through custom firewalls / gateways?) then perhaps it’s a redundant idea to monitor the sites “we” go to. If the tubes are monitored, then the actual “basins” of information (such as Twitter, Google, Y!, Bing, FB, et al…) are just additional data that would only add to the S/N ratio…
I’m always up for a good conspiracy theory (esp. when it comes to govt. surveillance), but in this case, the Twitter guys can’t deny it vehemently enough. This is exactly the kind of rumor that can cause serious lasting brand damage, even if there isn’t a wisp of truth.
You’re right about the ISP-level monitoring, and why the govt. would be less likely to care much about Twitter.
This may stem from the severe lack of even basic understanding of how networks well… work.
Take a post like this:
http://blog.twi...escheduled.html
Now, don a tin foil hat.
OMG it’s a network UPGRADE.
See? It’s amazing how you can equate upgrade with massive governmental intrusion with elegant back door man in the middle DPI and selective intercept technology.
Yeah.
Meanwhile, back at the farm…
Wow! I can’t believe Valleywag would fabricate a story like that! Whats next, posting articles written by secret anonymous authors?
” he’s pissed off.”
A bit too defensive, perhaps.
Clearly that would have to be BS. With the majority of Twitter messages being public (I assume) is there really any conspiracy, or even benefit to the data access on Twitter?
It’s not like twitter messages or followers are private data (some exceptions), so this doesn’t really make any sense.
Getting the facebook private data (social graph, updates, messages), that would make a bit of sense, but twitter?
Anyone who believes gov’t doesn’t have access to anything online is fooling themselves. That’s the reason we’re all online…we just haven’t figured it out yet.
besides, the co-founder is merely giving his opinion.
Perception is all we have…
Agreed. What do you think the NSA does all day? Also, the government is one of the largest users of search software and technology. They use all major search vendors products. They don’t need Twitter’s permission to tap into the datastream.
Besides, if the Twitter service is in a datacenter or even multiple data centers — to “tap” one doesn’t need Twitter to even know.
As long as the party wishing to “tap” has physical or even remote network elements (i.e. a gateway router) access to all egress points for “the silo” they see everything come and going anyways.
This is another reason why I think a lot of the social world online is going to place SSL in to the mix so that outside parties cannot merely “tap” but will require full application stack cooperation.
No… it’s not CALEA because CALEA is for facilities based broadband providers (i.e. the people supplying how you are reading this from home).
The exigent and resident security interests would be the only path to gaining (legally/defensibly) for such information.
BTW, it’s probably a lot easier to just coordinate with the SMS gateway provider companies that Twitter uses for so-called mobile intercepts vs. trying to shoe horn in a “tap”.
If Twitter simply looks the other way and doesn’t give direct permission to the government (gov’t can be exploiting a loophole or something), they can genuinely deny the rumor while the government is still obtaining the data.
We’ve seen far crazier things from our government. Um, they were allowed and practiced wiretapping anyone they wanted under the guise of monitoring for terrorism.
This is ridiculous. Biz has every right to be upset. Glad he shot this down fast and that TechCrunch got it up just as quickly.
Nice reporting, MG.
Dude, your twitter handle is CKAnal.
+1
Experience tells us when someone invokes language like “libel”, they usually have something to hide. Government might be interested since it is difficult to aggregate data from different ISPs.
I’m sure it’s an oversight considering the amount of biased material TechCrunch posts on a daily basis, would you agree?
I’ve seen TechCrunch use it’s web influence to bring a wrath upon small-startups or massive software corporations who might have had a little bad rap over the years.
Sounds like Valleywag made the whole thing up! Who would fall for that?
christ, arrington. fire this guy already.
a kitten dies every time MG writes a nonesense article.
hey MG, if you think this is BS why do you still write about it? moron.
NO offense but you all are a little naive to think they don’t scan twitter.. not with twitters consent… and they should scan twitter… prisoners embed code into newspapers and magazines.. it is perfectly logical terrorist cells would do the same thing.. why wouldn’t they? simple instructions hidden in a million tweets..? perfect cover..
I hope that was satire that I just didn’t pick up on.
We aren’t in a War on Terror, but rather a War of Terror. Watch 7/7 Ripple Effect and pay attention to the tax calculator estimate of the probability.
I am dead serious.. it sounds funny I know but if I am the CIA or FBI I am scanning everything online. Didn’t the Bush admin spy on its own people.. and twitters feed is mostly public.. It just makes sense that a govt agency would scan for common keywords and such..
One question! What data is there to be given to the government that they can’t get on their own. Everything I share on Twitter—my tweets, location, info—is all publicly available and I don’t care who gets it. I wouldn’t post something on the internet that I didn’t want certain people reading!!!!
Correct on the second sentence, but the word “public(ly)” in the third sentence suggests it has an equal opposite.
There’s a backdoor for everything.
JFK assassination? Twitter. Roswell? Twitter. 9/11? Twitter.
Does last.fm figure into this somehow? Or should we wait until friday?
probably bullshit… but I’m laughing so hard. nothing I like better then to see twitter squirm a little. the real story here is that there is a significant portion of social media that is pissed off at twitter. in the end what that means is there is a huge chance that someone can take their users because people are just fed up with twitter’s administrative arrogance. twitter is run by vampires from outer space… but it all doesn’t matter if what I’m saying is true, because the real story is people are making up things because they don’t like how the network treats people.
..what is the Biz all worked up about if it isnt true…and none of that brand integrity bs. anyone w/half a brain knows that the gov’t is monitoring all Internet traffic and can gain access to anyone’s private data at a drop the drop of a hat.
Um because crying wolf about the government reading personal stuff could I dono…RUIN A BUSINESS?
The Government can have my DM’s, they consist of “dude, do you really have cancer?” and “oh hey, did you send me that thing you said you would?”
did you know the goverment check your facebook once in i while and there are not on your freinds list.
How do i know? i work for Facebook ssssssshhhhh dont tell anyone except Valleywag,and Techcrunch facebook PR guy…
OMG, there’s no way the NSA would do that?
http://www.yout...h?v=mL-C2a8C-U4
Notice how services like Twitter which are produced internationally are never allowed to become popular in the United States. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.
Google’s SEO chief Matt Cutts used to work at the NSA.
This sounds like confusion to me now.
http://www.tech...tter-documents/
On the one hand interaction with the Feds would be involved if there were computer crime and all manner of forensics would be brought into account.
Perhaps this is simply comments regarding specific pools of data (corporate) vs. the stream (public).
This is probably a misunderstanding, not having to do with NSA, but with BIS and the US laws on the export of technology. Companies like Twitter, Facebook and Friendfeed are basically breaking US law by exporting software and services to embargoed countries. You can think this is silly, but is about following the law. Either you change the law, or you comply with it.
Thanks for reaching @Biz for comment, MG.
I wish we could get the feds to be as forthcoming, but then TechCrunch’s heft doesn’t extend to those agencies that can’t be named.
It took the Old Grey Lady’s resources/investigative reporting to break the warrantless wiretap story, after all.
Given public statements regarding the utility of the intelligence coming out of, say, Iran — and the paucity of same that statements coming out of the White House implied – it’s reasonable to expect that the NSA would be filtering and data mining tweets at some level.
It’s probably time to go back to the TOS and see what privacy users should expect for protected updates and DMs: none.
http://twitter.com/tos
I see plenty on copyright and “content that we determine in our sole discretion are unlawful, offensive, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene or otherwise objectionable or violates any party’s intellectual property” but nothing about protecting the privacy of individuals or their messages.
Maybe it’s between the lines, like in the Constitution?
Twitter is a profoundly public platform; of course they are scanning it. The heart of the story is that the feds have acceess to the firehose. Biz has said that they do not. We can learn more over time about the veracity of that claim but in the meantime, thank you for soliciting his position, MG.
Okay seriously? The idea that the government has access to DMs and the like is not news, not scary or not anything to be worked up about. In fact, Twitter shouldn’t have to even comment on this regardless of whether they shared info or not.
Why?
Well, let’s see. The government has access to everything. They can freeze bank accounts in a moment’s notice, show up at your door and seize assets, find your long-lost relative that even you don’t know about, etc., etc. To make a big deal out of the government having access to our DMs is absurd.
Here’s my rule of thumb. Don’t put anything into a DM that you would care about the government reading. If you are plotting a ploy to overhaul a country, don’t do it via Twitter. In fact, don’t do it online at all. (That’s extreme, hopefully you get the point).
I get that people are all about their privacy and such but then they get on Facebook and Twitter and pretty soon, there isn’t much that a common person can’t learn about them let alone a government body. So, if you play online, stop complaining or criticizing companies when there is a rumor about them being in partnership with the government. It’s just annoying, who cares, kind of news.
E.
Something doesn’t jive here :
“…The news apparently came from a source who presumably overheard a Twitter employee talking about it at lunch. To categorize that as “flimsy” would be an understatement.”
You’re calling this info as flimsy, yet, when it comes to *stolen* twitter information, Techcrunch views that as valid? Who’s to say the *stolen* information was not altered before it was *leaked*?
Why did the U.S. government ask Twitter to stay up during the Iran turmoil? Was it a vehicle of the U.S. government? Yes.
NO, maybe some people give a shit about other in the world unlike you own political agenda “Sara Kristoff”
Just because he denies it, doesn’t make it untrue.
Sounds like you struck a nerve. If twitterfall.com has access, why wouldn’t anyone else? It’s available, not many protect their updates, so of course it will be spied on.
To think otherwise is naive.
Twitterfall doesn’t have access to the firehose, it just uses the Twitter Search API, which is publicly available (unlike the firehose).
Goog Knows ALL, KEEPS ALL, and GIVES UP ALL to BIG Bro..
guess its not bullshit now! this link seems to be getting hammered so slow. looks like a great work around for obama.
http://nlpc.org...working-website