A US regulator says it is watching events at Twitter with “deep concern” after reports said the platform’s top privacy and compliance officers quit.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said incoming CEO Elon Musk was “not above the law.”
Independently of this, Mr. Musk is said to have informed the employees that bankruptcy for Twitter was not excluded.
The firm has been in turmoil since Mr Musk laid off thousands of employees last week.
The ability for users to purchase verified status as part of a new subscription has raised concerns that the platform could be swamped with fake accounts.
On Thursday, Chief Privacy Officer Damien Kieran and Chief Compliance Officer Marianne Fogarty reportedly resigned, and the company’s Chief Security Officer, Lea Kissner, also resigned.
The deviations can increase the risk that Twitter violates official orders. The company was fined $150m (£119m) in May for selling user data and had to agree to new privacy rules.
“We are following recent developments on Twitter with great concern,” said Douglas Farrar, FTC director of public affairs.
“No CEO or company is above the law, and companies must follow our consent regulations.”
Mr Farrer said the FTC has “new tools to ensure compliance and we stand ready to use them”.
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Twitter paid the fine in May to clarify allegations that it illegally used user data to help sell targeted ads.
In addition to the fine, it had to agree to new rules and implement a strengthened privacy and security program – overseen by the executives who have reportedly quit.
Since taking office, Mr Musk has fired former chief executive Parag Agrawal and other top executives, and the company’s advertising and marketing chiefs have also left, adding to concerns that Twitter doesn’t have enough people to oversee it comply with the regulations.
Additionally, some major advertisers have been spooked by the direction Mr. Musk is taking the social media company.
Twitter makes most of its money from advertising, but some big advertisers have suspended spending while they take stock of the changes Mr Musk is rolling out.
On Thursday, Chipotle Mexican Grill said it had withdrawn its paid and owned content on Twitter “as we gain a better understanding of the platform’s direction under its new leadership.”
It joined other brands including automakers General Motors, Volkswagen and Audi, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and food maker General Mills, which owns brands like Cheerios and Lucky Charms.
Some brands are said to be concerned that Mr Musk will relax rules on content moderation and reverse permanent Twitter bans on controversial figures, including former US President Donald Trump.
Mr Musk reportedly told employees during a company meeting that he was unsure of the company’s future financial performance and that bankruptcy was not out of the question.
Twitter has been contacted for comment. The New York Times reported that its communications team was hit hard by layoffs.
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