Jordan Claims Political Motivation in FTC Action Against Twitter

Evidence suggests the FTC took politically motivated enforcement action against Twitter after Elon Musk bought the company, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote FTC Chair Lina Khan Thursday. Jordan’s letter notes Twitter reached a settlement agreement in 2021 with then-acting Chair Rebecca Kelly Slaughter stemming from Twitter’s “self-reported” privacy issue in 2019. The FTC didn’t finalize action against Twitter until May 2022, after Khan became chair and Musk’s plans to buy the company became clear, said Jordan: It appears Slaughter and Khan didn’t “intend to take action against Twitter until Elon Musk's impending acquisition and the political pressure campaign that followed.” The agency confirmed receiving the letter but didn't comment.