Twitter Admits Serious Security Breach That Affected Circle Users
Twitter Circle is a feature that enables users to share their posts with only the users they have chosen. This feature works similarly to Instagram’s Close Friends feature. Anyone can keep their account open to the public and still share tweets about their personal lives with their closest friends using Twitter Circle. However, in April 2023, a security incident occurred on Twitter, affecting several users. This bug showed private Twitter Circle tweets to random users in the For You tab, including users who weren’t part of that Circle. The incident was identified by Twitter’s security team and immediately fixed. Twitter acknowledged the security incident a month later and informed users about it via an email sent out on Friday.
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What Happened in April 2023?
Several Twitter users were affected by a bug that allowed private Twitter Circle tweets to show up on the timeline of people who weren’t part of that Circle. Even worse, random users who didn’t follow the affected accounts could see the tweets from private Circles. This was a serious security incident as it violated the privacy of Twitter users.
What is Twitter Circle?
Twitter Circle is a feature that enables users to share their posts with only the users they have chosen. This feature works similarly to Instagram’s Close Friends feature. Anyone can keep their account open to the public and still share tweets about their personal lives with their closest friends using Twitter Circle.
How Did the Bug Happen?
Twitter has conducted an investigation to understand how the incident happened. However, the company has not yet provided any details about the cause of the bug.
How Did Twitter Fix the Bug?
Twitter’s security team immediately fixed the bug after identifying it. The bug was fixed so that these tweets were no longer visible outside of the Circle to which the user was posting.
What Did Twitter Say in Their Email to Users?
Twitter informed its users about the security incident via an email sent out on Friday. In the email, Twitter acknowledged the security incident and informed users that the bug has now been fixed.
What is Twitter Doing to Protect the Privacy of Its Users?
Twitter claims to be committed to protecting the privacy of the people who use their service. The platform understands the risks that an incident like this can introduce, and the company deeply regrets that this happened.
What Can Twitter Users Do to Protect Their Privacy?
Twitter users can take several steps to protect their privacy. They can keep their accounts private, which means only their followers can see their tweets. Alternatively, they can use Twitter Circle to share their tweets with only their chosen users. It is also advisable to use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to their accounts.
Conclusion
The security incident that occurred on Twitter in April 2023 was a serious issue that violated the privacy of several Twitter users. The incident was identified by Twitter’s security team, and the bug was immediately fixed. Twitter acknowledged the security incident a month later and informed users that the bug has now been fixed. Twitter claims to be committed to protecting the privacy of its users and is taking steps to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. As a Twitter user, it is important to take steps to protect your privacy, such as using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and keeping your account private or using Twitter Circle to share your tweets with only your chosen users.
