Gettr, Trump's new social network, has serious privacy concerns

Gettr

Hackers hacked the platform's API by extracting 85,000 emails, as well as users' names and dates of birth

(photo: Unsplash) Gettr made a bad start. The new social network created by a former aide of Donald Trump, Jason Miller, to give another point of reference to the Trumpian galaxy and the alt-right, has turned out to be a disaster in terms of the privacy of its users. And that's not the only problem.

Hackers stole 85,000 email addresses of Gettr users thanks to its API, writes TechCrunch. According to Alon Gal, co-founder of the cybersecurity firm Hudson Rock, this data breach also included usernames, first names and dates of birth. Last week, TechCrunch's Zack Whittaker predicted the Gettr API vulnerability.

Threat actors were able to take advantage of bad API implemented on Trump's recent social media platform, Gettr (@GettrOfficial).

This allowed them to extract usernames, names, bios, bdays, but most importantly, the emails which were supposed to be private, of over 85,000 users. pic.twitter.com/NsKyz9zHmQ

- Alon Gal (Under the Breach) (@UnderTheBreach) July 6, 2021



The app has been released on the App Store and Google Play last month, but the social was officially announced on July 4th. A week ago, several verified Gettr accounts were compromised, including that of Marjorie Taylor-Greene, Steve Bannon and Miller, raising further concerns about the app's security. A hacker had, according to him, easily introduced himself into the profiles of various republican personalities, changing their bio and icon.

The design of the app is identical to that of Twitter and appears to have used the API of Jack Dorsey's company to copy the count and follower profiles of some users. Gettr encourages new users to use their Twitter account in registering, stating that in some cases it will allow copying of tweets.

The company offers itself as an alternative for anyone who believes that traditional social networks are hostile to ideas. far right. Gettr's website invites new users with familiar Trump messages: “Don't be deleted. Flex your first amendment. Celebrate freedom ”. Getter on the app stores is described as a platform “founded on the principles of free speech, independent thought and the rejection of political censorship and cancel culture”.

Jason Miller himself published a post that read "Hydroxychloroquine works. And no one will remove this post or suspend this account! #GETTR. ”, Referring to the almost absolute lack of moderation of the contents on the platform. As soon as it is online, the social network has in fact already started to be filled with pornographic images and videos, some with a hentai theme, as well as conspiratorial content, and linked to Qanon.

According to Sensor Tower estimates, Gettr has amassed around 1.3 million installations globally since June, with Brazil following the United States as the second largest app market. These users may want full freedom on the app, but the price to pay could be their privacy.


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Gettr CEO Says Twitter Blocking Tweet Imports, Suggests That Makes It a Publisher

© Drew Angerer/Getty Images BEDMINSTER TOWNSHIP, NJ - NOVEMBER 20: Jason Miller, communications director for the Trump transition team, briefs reporters at Trump International Golf Club, November 20, 2016 in Bedminster Township, New Jersey. Miller released a statement claiming Twitter has blocked Gettr users from importing their tweets onto the app, which would make Twitter a publisher responsible for all tweets on the site.

Jason Miller, CEO of the social media platform Gettr, released a statement Saturday on Twitter's ability to stop users from importing their tweets into Gettr.

Miller, a former senior advisor for Donald Trump, suggested stopping such imports would make Twitter an 'owner' of the content—and thus a 'publisher responsible for the content' on its platform.

'Twitter seems to be trying to have it both ways—simultaneously claiming that Twitter users own their tweets, so that Twitter can claim immunity from liability for its content moderation activities under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, but now asserting ownership of its users' content by blocking its users' ability to obtain a copy of their content.'

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Miller added: 'Twitter must decide: does it own everyone's tweets and is therefore a publisher responsible for the content, or do the users own their original posts?'

Gettr launched on July 4, and the company claimed more than a million users joined in its first three days.

'We believe that our First Amendment is so important, that's why we want to create this platform, where people can come together, they can have these debates, and you're not going to get de-platformed simply for expressing a political view,' Miller told reporter Scott Thuman, according to ABC 13 News in Virginia.

The one thing Gettr prides itself on, Miller said, is that the site is reliant on free speech.

He stated, 'If you believe in free speech, if you reject this notion of cancel culture, if you like superior technology and you don't think that we should have to be subjected to something inferior or junior varsity, and only the Silicon Valley oligarchs can have something fancy, then come join us.'

Newsweek reached out to Twitter representatives for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Politico reported the numerous similarities between Gettr and Twitter, with trending tags and short posts. Twitter spokespeople declined to comment to Politico on whether Gettr would violate any of its policies by allowing users to scrape data off Twitter.

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