Sen. Grassley: Twitter CEO should step down if Zatko allegations are true

Peiter Zatko, the former Twitter security chief who turned into a whistleblower, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, September 13. A world-renowned cyber-security expert and ethical hacker, Zatko accused Twitter of not complying with security guidelines, violating federal regulations, and deliberately miscounting the bots on the platform. 

Also read: Elon Musk can use Twitter whistleblower Peiter Zatko’s testimony in trial: Judge

At the hearing today, Zatko clarified that he did not make the whistleblower disclosure out of spite or to harm Twitter.

The 51-year-old said, “I continue to believe in the mission of the company and root for its success. But that success can only happen if the privacy and security of Twitter’s users and the public are protected.” 

Senator Chuck Grassley, the judiciary committee’s top Republican, was concerned with the allegations made by Zatko at the hearing. The 88-year-old politician from Iowa called for Twitter CEO Parag Aggarwal to step down if the allegations against him are proved to be accurate.

Speaking at the hearing, the senior politician said, “I don’t see how Mr. Agrawal can maintain his position at Twitter.”

He also hit out at the Indian-origin CEO of Twitter for not appearing to testify along with Zatko even though there was an explicit invitation from the Judiciary Committee to do so. 

Also read:After Twitter whistleblower, another expert supports Musk on bot issue

In his speech, Grassley accused Twitter of deliberately not making Aggarwal available at the hearing. He believed that Twitter did so because they suspected that his speech could harm Twitter’s interest in the ongoing litigation with Elong Musk. 

Along with Senator Grassley, Senator Dick Durbin also pointed out how a security breach on Twitter can cause damage to those who use the platform to criticize powerful governments. 

Pointing out Saudi Arabia as an example, the 77-year-old said, “Twitter is an immensely powerful platform that cannot afford gaping security vulnerabilities.”