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Whistleblower claims Twitter is a risk to national security

Published

3 years ago

August 24, 2022

Twitter misled federal regulators about its defences against hackers and spam accounts, the social media company’s former security chief Peiter Zatko said in a whistleblower complaint

Shares of Twitter dropped sharply on Tuesday after the revelation of an explosive whistleblower complaint alleging the social media company misled federal regulators about its defences against hackers and spam accounts.

The disclosures come from Twitter’s former security chief Peiter Zatko, a famed hacker more widely known as “Mudge,” who has testified before Congress about the vulnerabilities of the internet in the past.

Zatko says “If you’re looking for computer security, then the internet is not the place to be.”

Zatko, seen in an interview with Reuters at the 2019 Black Hat cybersecurity conference, filed an 84-page complaint last month with multiple government agencies, alleging that Twitter falsely claimed it had a solid security plan and said he had warned colleagues that half the company’s servers were running out-of-date and vulnerable software.

The complaint, which was first reported by the Washington Post and CNN, was also sent to congressional committees.

A Twitter spokesperson said on Tuesday that Zatko was fired in January for “ineffective leadership and poor performance” less than two years after then-CEO Jack Dorsey appointed him to the role, and said his complaint was designed to capture attention and inflict harm on Twitter.

The whistleblower complaint comes at a rough time for the social platform, as its embroiled in a legal battle with Elon Musk after he said in July he was ending an agreement to buy the company, alleging Twitter had violated the terms of the deal.

The world’s richest person has accused Twitter of hiding information about how it calculates the percentage of bots on the service.

The whistleblower complaint alleges Twitter prioritised user growth over reducing spam, offering executives massive bonuses for increases in daily users and nothing explicitly for cutting spam.

CNN reported that Musk’s legal team has subpoenaed Zatko, after the whistleblower disclosure was made public. The Tesla CEO could not be reached for comment.

This report produced by Chris Dignam, Reuters.

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Coalition cracks deepen as Nationals break ranks over Labor reforms

Nationals senators defy party lines, voting against Labor’s reforms as Coalition faces internal rifts and leadership concerns.

Published

19 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Nationals senators defy party lines, voting against Labor’s reforms as Coalition faces internal rifts and leadership concerns.

A rift has emerged in the Coalition after three Nationals senators crossed the floor to vote against Labor’s post-Bondi hate group reforms, defying party lines and raising questions about their future in the shadow cabinet.

Their proposed amendment calling for greater scrutiny was rejected, and Labor’s legislation passed the Senate 38 votes to 22, cementing the reforms into law despite opposition pushback.

Coalition leadership will meet Wednesday to assess the political fallout, though some MPs consider the issue minor in terms of potential resignations. The incident highlights growing tensions within the party as internal discipline comes under pressure.

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Trump escalates Greenland rhetoric as Davos leaders push back on sovereignty

Trump claims U.S. alone can ensure Arctic peace, sparking backlash as Greenland’s sovereignty faces geopolitical tensions at Davos.

Published

19 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Trump claims U.S. alone can ensure Arctic peace, sparking backlash as Greenland’s sovereignty faces geopolitical tensions at Davos.

President Trump has intensified his remarks over Greenland, claiming the U.S. is the only nation capable of ensuring peace in the Arctic, sparking sharp pushback from European leaders. His rhetoric, including hints at potential tariffs, comes as international attention turns to the strategic territory.

The debate has dominated discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Trump confirmed plans to meet regarding Greenland following a positive conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Meanwhile, Greenland’s leadership has warned that the territory must be ready for potential military scenarios.

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney also weighed in from Davos, drawing a firm line on sovereignty, declaring Greenland’s independence non-negotiable. The unfolding standoff highlights rising geopolitical tensions in the Arctic, with global powers increasingly staking their claims.

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OpenAI prepares first consumer device amid revenue boom

OpenAI plans to launch a screenless smart speaker by late 2026, shifting focus to hardware amid significant revenue growth.

Published

2 days ago

January 20, 2026

Harvey Vargas

OpenAI plans to launch a screenless smart speaker by late 2026, shifting focus to hardware amid significant revenue growth.

OpenAI is gearing up to launch its first-ever consumer hardware device in late 2026. The product is expected to be a screenless smart speaker, signalling the tech giant’s move beyond software and into the world of physical devices.

The device comes after OpenAI acquired a promising hardware startup to accelerate development.

The company is also pushing a strategy to strengthen domestic manufacturing, working closely with U.S. manufacturers to secure efficient production of essential components.

Despite the progress, technical hurdles remain, especially around the device’s listening capabilities, which could delay the rollout.

This development comes on the heels of OpenAI reporting an annualised revenue of over $20 billion in 2025, representing a staggering 233% increase from the previous year. The combination of massive revenue growth and expansion into hardware marks a new era for the AI pioneer.

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