Former Twitter employee busted and found guilty for spying

[cm2]

Read from tweaktown:

A former Twitter employee is facing up to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of spying on behalf of the Saudi government.

former Twitter employee Ahmad Abouammo worked with another Twitter employee Ali Alazabarah to collect personal information on Twitter users based on their interests in 2015. The Saudi government offered both of the then-Twitter employee's cash and luxury goods for providing them with any of their requested data, with Alzabarah eventually fleeing to Saudi Arabia to avoid any trial.

Abouammo wasn't so lucky. During the trial, the prosecution argued that Abouammo was recruited by a high-ranking member of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman's regime to spy on any enemies of the state, and during his recruitment, Abouammo gathered and sent back personal information such as birthdates, email addresses phones numbers and more. As for Abouammo's defense, they argued that the former Twitter employee only accessed that information when he was performing his regular work duties.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

That defense is a pretty weak strategy.

 

[Artisan Vistra]

If gathering information for Twitter is considered a regular work duty then I question what Twitter would do with personal information like that anyways and why did they think that was acceptable. I hope Twitter enforces its rules and does more on its end for background checks from here on out.

 

[Heatman]

20 years punishment for selling users personal information without their permission isn't even enough for me. He should get 50 years!! He's an idiot!!

 

[ZandraJoi]

I think they need to have stricter sentences. We don't like our personal information being sold. It happens more often than it should but if they don't just get a slap on the wrist, it may deter others. But, you never know. Some people like that risk.

 

[froggyboy604]

Hopefully, Ahmad Abouammo learned his lesson on not to spy on Twitter user, and become a productive member of society after he served his time in prisoner for spying.

 

[WitchAssassin]

If they spy on me, they are going to be bored out of their ever-loving mind.

 

[Grungie]

That’s why I don’t like putting my phone numbers on social media. Not like the average user can see it, but Zuck doesn’t need to know my phone number.

I’m fucked with Bezos tho….

 

[Henrywrites]

This is wrong and evil! I believe this is exactly what they accused Facebook of doing some years ago, right?