Has your Twitter account been sending unapproved tweets? On Sunday 6 April, that’s exactly what happened to us at Sladen Legal. But fear not - such spam is usually harmless and the issue is easily rectifiable.

There are several reasons why your Twitter account may send unauthorised, unexpected tweets. Usually the culprit is a third party application which you have inadvertently authorised to access your account. For functionality, it’s important for Twitter to interact with other platforms. In doing so, each program will have access to your account. Many of these are legitimate, but sometimes a third party will surreptitiously request this authorisation – and you will grant it. But don’t worry, it happens to the best of us and is easy to manage.

You can review the list of sites or programs that have authorisation to your account at https://twitter.com/settings/applications. Most of these are fine to authorise. If you use the Twitter app on your smart phone and tablet, you have authorised two different programs, but these are safe connections. If there’s anything in this list you don’t recognise or are unsure about, revoke their access immediately.

There’s always a chance someone else knows your password, so you should update it regularly and ensure your linked email account is secure. If the posts continue, scan your computer for viruses and malware.

From a business perspective, social media can be a difficult tool to manage. You may be liable for any content posted through your account. Ensure there’s a policy on who will monitor the social media accounts, so you’re ready to respond if need be.

To find out more about revoking password access visit https://support.twitter.com/articles/76052, while general information on compromised accounts can be found at https://support.twitter.com/articles/31796.

If you’re struggling with any legal issues around social media, website or advertising content or other intellectual property matters, contact:

Daniel Smedley
Principal | Accredited Specialist in Tax Law
M +61 411 319 327|  T +61 3 9611 0105
dsmedley@sladen.com.au

Michelle Dowdle
Special Counsel
T +61 3 9611 0114| M +61 408 674 256
E: mdowdle@sladen.com.au