Twitter turmoil sparks 'close’ privacy scrutiny in EU

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission commented after an initial meeting Monday to clarify next steps with staff in Dublin

Twitter's new owner Elon Musk recently fired around 3,700 members of its global workforce.

Twitter's European privacy watchdog said it’s “closely” monitoring the situation after an exodus of key staff including the social-media firm’s data-protection chief in recent days sparked safeguarding fears.

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission commented after an initial meeting on Monday to clarify the next steps with staff in Dublin, where Twitter, recently taken over by Elon Musk, has its European base.

“We are still engaging” with Twitter, which told regulators it will continue to take decisions on EU users’ data in Dublin, said Graham Doyle, deputy commissioner.

Doyle said the company appointed Renato Monteiro as its acting data protection officer after Damien Kieran departed.

Workforce slashed

Twitter has seen a dramatic few days since Musk bought the company. He fired around 3,700 members of its global workforce, ushered out several executives, and ordered the remaining employees to stop working from home.

Twitter didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on the Irish talks.

The Irish watchdog supervises privacy compliance of some of Silicon Valley’s biggest firms, who have their EU hub in the country, and has probes open against several. 

The regulator, like all EU watchdogs, had their powers boosted through the General Data Protection Regulation, which allows them to fine companies as much as 4% of annual sales for serious violations of data privacy.

Bloomberg