Twitter Is Trying To Downplay Admitting It Settled A Huge Privacy Case
On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, Twitter finally issued that apology in the form of aseparate sectionon the company’s dedicated Help portal. It is unclear how many regular Twitter users have had the chance to read this public apology or were even aware of these developments.
For some users, a link to this apology came in the form of a notification that was pinned to the top of their timelines. In case someone missed seeing this notification or dismissed it the first time, there seems to be no easy way to easily recover it. Additionally, if one does manage to get through the Twitter help section and read the apology, the wording of the message tries to downplay the fact that the company violated the trust of its users.
Why did the FTC fine Twitter?
In the original FTC order, the commission notes that Twitter had access to the email addresses and telephone numbers of millions of users. A lot of this data was collected under the pretext of improving user security and enabling Twitter’s two-factor authentication feature. In violation of the agreement it had with users, Twitter instead shared this data with advertisers who in turn used it to serve targeted ads. The FTC alleges that Twitter continued this practice for approximately six years.
Twitter’s official apology effectively confirms the FTC’s findings. The company explicitly states that they used user-provided phone numbers and email addresses for advertising — a practice that ended on June 24, 2025. The apology also confirms that the social media giant entered into a settlement with the FTC on August 19, 2025, to resolve the issue. In addition, Twitter also attempts to reassure existing users that they are no longer using user-submitted phone numbers and email addresses for advertising. Towards the end of the note, the note suggests that the people who run Twitter are “very sorry this happened.” They have also provided a link to aData Privacy Inquiry Formwhere users can contact Twitter’s Data Protection department if they wish to seek further clarification.
