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Twitter Has Denied That Its Dubai Office Breached User Privacy Resulting In The Disappearance Of A Saudi Journalist
A missing journalist in Saudi Arabia is feared dead, and the international online community has been blaming Twitter for his disappearance.
Turki bin Abdul Aziz al Jasser was based in Saudi, and was reportedly sharing dissident Saudi news on an anonymous Twitter account, @coluche_ar, which has since been inactive. There is no public link between the journalist and the account.
Netizens claimed that spies based in the Dubai regional HQ of Twitter (Twitter does not have an office in Saudi Arabia) had given up the man’s identity to authorities, with the hashtag, #TwitterKilledTurkiAlJasser.
While the story remains unverified, Twitter has released a clear statement on the matter, assuring users that their privacy is its priority, and remaining transparent on international matters regarding censorship and silencing voices.
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9 Changes To Expect In The UAE In 2025The official statement was shared to the global Twitter Public Policy account
There has been recent discussion regarding how we protect dissident voices on Twitter, particularly in Saudi Arabia. We want to take a moment to clarify some facts.
— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) November 11, 2018
Twitter has responded to claims on its protection of voices and anonymous sources
Stating it isn’t possible that spies could infiltrate accounts via the Dubai head-office
We rigorously limit access to sensitive account information to a small group of employees with extensive security and privacy training. No other personnel have the ability to access this information, regardless of where they operate.
— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) November 11, 2018
Twitter has reaffirmed its dedication to protecting freedom of speech on the platform
We are committed to protecting those who use our service to advocate for equality, individual freedoms, and human rights. We will continue to take steps to strengthen their privacy protections and overall safety.
— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) November 11, 2018
Those responsible for enforcing Twitter policy rules aren’t based in the Dubai office
We have teams around the world who work to improve the health of the public conversation. None of these policy enforcement teams are based in the MENA region at all, including our Dubai office. Recent accusations to the contrary are false.
— Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) November 11, 2018
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