There’s plenty of expected back and forth between Twitter and Elon Musk as the lawsuit nears. Twitter sued the vocal CEO who then filed a countersuit. Musk wanted more time to get to the bottom of the bot and spam account situation. He requested that Twitter provide him with information related to the employees responsible for tracking and counting the fake accounts.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk hoped to have time for his lawyers to dig up more details related to bots and spam accounts, but Twitter hoped for a quick trial to happen as soon as possible. While the judge didn’t go with either plan, it favored Twitter, choosing October 17, 2022, for a five-day trial. Now that both sides know what to expect, things are beginning to heat up.
In the midst of Twitter sending subpoenas with 27 specific requests, some of which are related to Tesla, Musk has made his own requests. In order for Musk and his team of lawyers to get a better grasp of the fake accounts, Musk hoped the judge would force Twitter to provide access to the employees who handle the situation.
The judge denied all but one of Musk’s requests. The CEO wanted access to 21 people who have specific control of Twitter’s relevant information, and likely know how the company handles the tracking and counting of bot, spam, scam, and fake accounts.
According to Reuters, the judge – Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware Court of Chancery – officially ordered Twitter to ready and produce documents from ex-employee Kayvon Beykpour. To be clear, Beykpour wasn’t just any employee, but rather, Twitter’s former General Manager of Consumer Product.
Neither Musk nor Beykpour responded to requests for comment at the time of the Reuters article.
Beykpour departed Twitter after it was learned that Musk would be acquiring the social media company. Musk’s court filings suggest that the Twitter executive was one of the most involved employees when it came to realizing and dealing with fake accounts.
Musk insists that Twitter has many more fake accounts than it’s revealing. However, Twitter has yet to give him any official number, and the company hasn’t shared exactly how it tabulates the number of bots and spam accounts.
Musk hoped that by getting the names of the 21 people responsible for the job, his lawyers might be able to get more information. Hopefully, Beykpour can deliver the necessary details so that this whole mess can become a thing of the past.
