US regulator FTC says it is concerned about Twitter

A US regulator says it is watching events astatine Twitter with "deep concern" aft the platform's apical privateness and compliance officers reportedly quit.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said caller main enforcement Elon Musk was "not supra the law".

Separately, Mr Musk reportedly told employees that bankruptcy is not retired of the question for Twitter.

The steadfast has been successful disarray since Mr Musk started firing thousands of employees past week.

The quality for users to bargain verified presumption arsenic portion of a caller subscription has raised concerns that the level could beryllium swamped with fake accounts.

On Thursday, main privateness serviceman Damien Kieran and main compliance serviceman Marianne Fogarty resigned according to reports, and the company's main information serviceman Lea Kissner besides quit.

The departures whitethorn summation the hazard of Twitter violating regulatory orders. The steadfast was fined $150m (£119m) successful May for selling users' data, and had to hold to caller privateness rules.

"We are tracking caller developments astatine Twitter with heavy concern," Douglas Farrar, the FTC's manager of nationalist affairs, said.

"No main enforcement oregon institution is supra the law, and companies indispensable travel our consent decrees."

Mr Farrer said the FTC had "new tools to guarantee compliance, and we are prepared to usage them".

Twitter paid the good successful May to settee allegations it had illegally utilized users' information to assistance merchantability targeted ads.

In summation to the fine, it had to hold to caller rules, and enactment successful spot a beefed-up privateness and information programme - overseen by the executives reported to person quit.

Since taking charge, Mr Musk has fired erstwhile main enforcement Parag Agrawal and different apical management, and the company's advertizing and selling chiefs person besides left, adding to concerns that Twitter does not person capable radical successful spot to oversee that it remains compliant with regulations.

In addition, immoderate large advertisers person been spooked by the absorption Mr Musk is taking the societal media firm.

Twitter makes astir of its wealth done advertising, but immoderate ample advertisers person paused spending portion they instrumentality banal of the changes that Mr Musk is bringing in.

On Thursday, Chipotle Mexican Grill said it had pulled backmost its paid and owned contented connected Twitter "while we summation a amended knowing connected the absorption of the level nether its caller leadership".

It joined different brands, including car firms General Motors, Volkswagen, and Audi, drugs elephantine Pfizer, and nutrient shaper General Mills, which owns brands including Cheerios and Lucky Charms.

Some brands are said to beryllium acrophobic that Mr Musk volition unbend contented moderation rules and reverse imperishable Twitter bans fixed to arguable figures, including erstwhile US president Donald Trump.

Mr Musk reportedly told employees during a institution gathering helium was not definite astir the aboriginal fiscal show of the company, and that bankruptcy was not retired of the question.

Twitter was approached for comment. The New York Times reported its communications squad was profoundly affected by redundancies.