Twitter’s decision to open source its recommendation algorithm on March 31st marks a significant move towards transparency in the realm of social media technology. However, ahead of this scheduled release, a GitHub repository surfaced containing what was claimed to be Twitter’s “proprietary source code.” This unauthorized disclosure prompted swift action from Twitter, resulting in the takedown of the repository last Friday.
Elon Musk’s promise to make Twitter’s algorithm open source by the end of March sparked anticipation within the tech community. However, before the scheduled release date, a GitHub user known as FreeSpeechEnthusiast unexpectedly beat Twitter to the punch by creating a repository named ‘PublicSpace’ on March 24.
This move caught Twitter off guard, prompting the company to swiftly issue a DMCA takedown notice to GitHub. While the repository initially appeared innocuous with no noteworthy description, its sudden emergence hinted at a potential leak of Twitter’s algorithmic code.
The timeline surrounding the removal of the PublicSpace repository sheds light on Twitter’s swift response to the alleged infringement. Logs obtained by TorrentFreak indicate that the infringing content surfaced on the repo early Friday morning, around 02:25. Although the exact timing of GitHub receiving the initial DMCA notice remains unclear, it’s evident that Twitter engaged with GitHub before 10:15.
By 17:12 on Friday afternoon, GitHub had already taken down the repo and the associated code. Remarkably, just a minute later, GitHub notified Twitter of the removal, underscoring the rapid action taken. Despite the repo’s inconspicuous debut, Twitter’s DMCA notice explicitly cited it as containing “proprietary source code for Twitter’s platform and internal tools.”
Twitter’s swift response to the alleged infringement didn’t end with the removal of the repository from GitHub. On the same day that the infringing content was uploaded and subsequently taken down, Julian Moore, Twitter’s Director and Associate General Counsel, filed an application for a DMCA subpoena at a federal court in California.
Moore’s declaration outlined Twitter’s efforts, stating, “On March 24, 2023, I submitted on behalf of Twitter a DMCA notification, via GitHub’s online DMCA notification form… identifying the Infringing Content on GitHub’s systems and providing the information required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3)(A).” The purpose of this subpoena is to pinpoint the alleged infringer or infringers responsible for posting Twitter’s source code on GitHub without authorization, which Twitter asserts infringes its copyrights.
Twitter’s determination doesn’t stop there. They are now seeking to identify the individual behind the GitHub username FreeSpeechEnthusiast. Twitter’s belief in GitHub’s potential contribution to this endeavor is evident, as they seek assistance in uncovering the identity of the alleged infringer.
It’s clear that GitHub holds a wealth of information that could potentially assist Twitter in their efforts. However, the extent to which this information will aid Twitter in identifying the individual behind the username FreeSpeechEnthusiast remains uncertain.
Some basic details, such as the account creation date of January 3, 2023, are readily available. Yet, determining further contact information may prove more challenging. Twitter’s note indicates a lack of contact details for FreeSpeechEnthusiast, but TorrentFreak managed to uncover an email address linked to a specialized encrypted provider. Despite attempts to reach out, FreeSpeechEnthusiast did not respond to requests for comment.
