Elon Musk's Lawyer Accuses Microsoft of Unauthorized Twitter Data Usage

Elon Musk's personal lawyer, Alex Spiro, has reportedly sent a letter to Microsoft, alleging unauthorized use of the Twitter API and accusing the tech giant of potential violations of their agreement. According to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, Spiro's letter suggests that Microsoft may have been in violation of multiple provisions for an extended period. Specifically, it claims that Microsoft improperly utilized Twitter data beyond what was permitted and shared that data with government agencies without proper authorization. The letter also alleges that Microsoft declined to pay for its data usage.

For several years, Microsoft had been utilizing Twitter data via its API in various products, including those related to Xbox, Bing, and advertising tools. However, after Twitter discontinued free access to its API, Microsoft began distancing itself from the platform. It removed Twitter from its social media management tool for advertisers and disabled the option to upload screenshots and clips directly to Twitter from Xbox consoles and the Game Bar on Windows. Although Microsoft did not provide an explanation for these decisions, it is worth noting that Twitter now charges organizations up to $50,000 per month for access to its new API.

In response to a tweet about Microsoft's removal of Twitter from its social media management tool, Elon Musk commented, "They trained illegally using Twitter data. Lawsuit time." It is important to highlight that Musk and Microsoft have had a strained relationship recently, with Musk claiming that the tech giant exerts control over OpenAI, a partner organization. Microsoft, which has invested $13 billion in ChatGPT creator OpenAI, refuted Musk's claim, stating that it was factually incorrect. Musk has also expressed concerns about ChatGPT being "trained to be politically correct" and revealed plans to develop his own generative AI chatbot called "TruthGPT." Additionally, he criticized OpenAI's transformation from a non-profit entity, which he helped establish in 2015, to a for-profit business.

It remains uncertain whether this situation will lead to a lawsuit, but Twitter has demanded that Microsoft examine the data usage of its apps. Twitter also requires Microsoft to submit a report by June, detailing the extent of its data collection, storage practices, and usage. Furthermore, Twitter seeks information regarding instances when Microsoft provided government organizations with access to its data.