A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Twitter, claiming the social networking company "surreptitiously eavesdrops" on users in its direct messaging feature, TechCrunch reports. The suit alleges Twitter intercepts messages without user consent and through its algorithms. When a user sends another user a direct message with a hyperlink included, the suit alleges, Twitter changes the original link to its own custom link without the user seeing the change. The company allegedly benefits from this because it can analyze traffic and offer more relevant advertising. Twitter's privacy policy says it keeps track of how users send and receive hyperlinks. In addition to halting such a practice, the suit seeks redress and statutory damages under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
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