Twitter Accuses Microsoft of Improperly Using Its Data: Report

Twitter sent a letter to Microsoft’s chief executive, Satya Nadella, accusing the tech giant of improperly using the social media company’s data, The New York Times (NYT) reported on Thursday.

Twitter has accused Microsoft of violating a data agreement and refusing to pay for its usage, according to a letter reviewed by NYT.

The letter alleges that Microsoft exceeded the authorized use of Twitter data in certain cases and shared it with government agencies without permission.

Alex Spiro, personal lawyer for Elon Musk, who owns Twitter, wrote in the letter to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella that the tech giant may have violated multiple provisions of the agreement for an extended period.

According to the US daily, this letter could potentially serve as a precursor to Twitter attempting to charge Microsoft for its data. Musk, who acquired Twitter for $44 billion last year, has emphasized the urgency for the company to generate revenue, as it faces financial strain.

Twitter has introduced new subscription products and implemented strategies to increase its earnings, including raising fees for developers seeking access to its tweet stream.

Last month, Musk publicly accused Microsoft of “illegally” utilizing Twitter’s data to train its artificial intelligence technologies, proclaiming “Lawsuit time” on Twitter.

Microsoft responded by stating that it does not presently pay Twitter for its data. Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesperson, confirmed the receipt of Twitter’s letter and expressed the company’s intention to review and respond to the inquiries, emphasizing their desire to maintain a long-term partnership with Twitter.

Earlier, Musk clashed with Microsoft regarding OpenAI, the start-up responsible for the ChatGPT chatbot.

Microsoft announced last month that it would not pay for access to Twitter’s data and informed its advertising platform customers about the removal of Twitter from the platform.

The company’s ad platform is used by advertisers to manage their social media accounts, including Twitter.

The letter to Nadella does not explicitly state whether Twitter plans to take legal action against Microsoft or seek financial compensation.

However, it demands that Microsoft adhere to Twitter’s developer agreement and conduct an examination of data usage in eight of its applications.