Musk Threatens to Sue Meta for Unlawful Appropriation of Twitter’s Trade Secrets

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The battle between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg has escalated after Musk accused Meta of hiring former Twitter employees to create a rival app called Threads. In just over 24 hours since its release, the animosity between these tech industry titans has escalated. Musk, infuriated by Zuckerberg’s hiring of former Twitter employees that he had let go, is now preparing to take legal action against Meta.

In an unexpected twist, Elon Musk’s legal representative has accused Meta of recruiting ex-Twitter employees who were laid off after Musk’s acquisition of the platform. This accusation comes shortly after the launch of Threads, Meta’s text-based app. Musk’s attorney, Alex Spiro, has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, alleging that the company has hired numerous former Twitter employees to develop a “copycat” application.

The letter further claims that some of these employees may still possess Twitter’s trade secrets and confidential information, implying that they could have retained access to Twitter documents and electronic devices inappropriately. Twitter has expressed serious concerns about Meta’s alleged “unlawful appropriation” of its trade secrets and intellectual property.

While there are reports of ex-Twitter employees joining Meta, Meta’s communications director, Andy Stone, clarified that none of them are currently involved in the development of Threads. However, a previous report from Business Insider stated that a few ex-Twitter employees had indeed joined Meta.

When Elon Musk assumed control of Twitter, he had to lay off approximately 80% of the workforce, resulting in a significant loss of jobs. The employee count dropped from 7,800 to less than 600 engineers. Musk acknowledged that it was a difficult and painful decision to let go of so many employees.

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Under Musk’s leadership, Twitter has undergone several controversial changes, including fewer content moderation rules and the introduction of a paid verification process. The turbulent situation at Twitter reportedly provided an opportunity for Meta employees to create a rival app, according to The New York Times.

Mark Zuckerberg stated that Threads, Meta’s new app, received around 30 million sign-ups within the first 24 hours of its official launch. Musk’s attorney’s allegations have added an unexpected twist to the already fierce competition among major tech companies in the social media landscape.

As this legal battle unfolds, the accusations and counterclaims between Meta and Musk’s camp could potentially shape the future trajectory of Threads and further intensify the ongoing rivalry between these industry giants.