Twitter is also in trouble: security danger, investigation on short url

A new investigation by the Irish privacy guarantors has revealed that Twitter, like Facebook, may have misused user data

After the various scandals that have hit Facebook on the hypothetical misuse of user data (so much so that a class action against Facebook has been hypothesized), Twitter ends up in the eye of the storm for alleged dangers to the privacy of users.

The privacy regulators in Ireland, in fact, have opened an investigation on the amount of data collected by Twitter using t.co, that is its URL shortening system.  According to initial investigations, it appears that the microblogging platform has not fully adhered to the guidelines set forth in GDPR, the General Data Protection Regulation. According to the regulation, every European user subscribed to the social media Twitter has the right to know how and when their data is collected. Following some requests, however, Twitter has not been able to provide information about the data collected with the short URL service. A serious deficiency in Europe where such omissions of information are punishable by a fine after the entry into force of the GDPR. Many have therefore begun to wonder if Twitter is actually improperly withholding the data of some of its users.

Short URLs at risk on Twitter?

For those who don't know them, short URLs were introduced years ago on Twitter to give users the opportunity to publish posts with a link attached avoiding using the few characters available for a tweet. Over time, various social platforms realized that short URLs were also more secure and verifiable than the classic standard length URLs often used by cyber criminals to spread viruses or computer scams. Precisely this detailed analysis of the short URLs published on Twitter to avoid the spread of malware or hacker attacks, however, could cause a breach of privacy for users registered on the platform. This is because contrary to what should be the norm in Europe, Twitter does not provide the data collected on the short URL service to its users and does not warn them of the possibility of collecting information through the use of shortened URLs. At the moment, the investigation is ongoing, but if Twitter fails to defend itself appropriately, it is possible that a hefty fine from the European Union could arrive for the social media company.