Get All Access for $5/mo

Elon Musk Denied Meeting with Federal Trade Commission Chair Until Twitter 'Fully' Complies With FTC Requests The FTC said Twitter has delayed producing documents and depositions.

By Gabrielle Bienasz

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Bloomberg / Contributor I Getty Images
Elon Musk in 2023.

The Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating Twitter, declined to meet with CEO Elon Musk in late January, according to The New York Times.

"I recommend that Twitter appropriately prioritize its legal obligations to provide the requested information," chair Lina Khan wrote. "Once Twitter has fully complied with all F.T.C. requests, I will be happy to consider scheduling a meeting with Mr. Musk."

The letter, which the Times viewed, said Twitter had delayed producing documents and depositions for the agency, which is responsible for trying to protect consumers from deceitful business practices.

The agency's relationship with Twitter is marked by an investigation that ended in 2011 with the FTC settling with the company over data security practices, which included a program to protect user data the company had to implement. It was also fined $150 million in May 2022, the agency said, for breaking the terms of the agreement.

After Musk took control of Twitter in October and initiated mass layoffs, as well as other changes at the platform, the FTC became more worried about its ability to meet its agreements, per the AP.

The ongoing inquiry, per the NYT, which viewed agency emails and spoke with "people with knowledge of the matter," includes wanting Musk to sit down for a deposition.

Khan also said in her late January letter she was "troubled by Twitter's delays and the obstacles that these delays are creating for the F.T.C.'s investigation."

Related: 'A Serious Concern': Journalist Paints a Harrowing Picture of What's to Come With Twitter Blue After Her Account Is Cloned

Musk railed against the agency in March when he attacked the agency for asking for information about the journalists who could view company internal communications, i.e., the "Twitter files," per the WSJ.

Leaders of companies under investigation by the FTC have met with the agency to help reassure the regulator about compliance, but it's not frequent, the NYT noted.
Gabrielle Bienasz is a staff writer at Entrepreneur. She previously worked at Insider and Inc. Magazine. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Business News

A Former Corporate Lawyer Now Makes Six Figures on YouTube — Here's How She Does It

Here are the secrets to starting and growing a successful YouTube channel, according to a YouTuber with millions of subscribers.

Growing a Business

How to Determine The Ideal Length of Your Marketing Emails Your Customers Will Actually Read

Wondering how long your marketing emails should be? Here's what consumers say — so you can send them exactly what they like.

Business News

New Southwest Airlines Major Investor Wants to Force Out CEO, Slams Company's 'Stubborn Unwillingness to Evolve'

Elliot Investment Management announced a $1.9 billion stake in the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines on Monday and is urging shareholders to vote for new leadership.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.