Tech companies are not having their best week. The Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, of which we have told you everything here, is shaking up the sector these days. The crisis in the social network is remarkable, and most likely Mark Zuckerberg will end up testifying before the British Parliament and Congress in the United States. But the consequences for the company have not been long in coming.
Since not only have they lost millions in the stock market (more than 50.000 million dollars so far). Too Facebook's chief security officer has resigned. Alex Stamos has been forced to leave his post as a result of this scandal.
A decision that seems logical considering the situation that the social network is experiencing. But the most curious of all is that it has not been the only one. Since two other technology companies have seen their security directors leave their positions this week. What's going on?
It all started with the resignation of Alex Stamos, director of security for Facebook. He is known for being a man of principle and great integrity. In his day he left Yahoo because there was a secret program that allowed users to governments have access to users' emails. During his time on the social network, he has been very critical about the way in which the platform has managed its influence and power in disinformation campaigns. Stamos was the person within the organization who wanted to clarify the Russian interference. This doesn't seem to have gone down well on Facebook. And internal pressures have ended with his resignation.
After the resignation of Stamos another one has arrived. In this case, it is Google's security director, Michael Zalewski. The company's information engineering director announced through a message on Twitter that left the company after eleven years. Just days after his colleague on Facebook announced his resignation.
Nothing is known about the reasons for his departure. There is much speculation that it could be related to this data theft scandal. Something that Zalewski himself has joked about on Twitter. But we will have to wait for more comment on it.
So, after almost 11 years, I'm gonna be leaving Google by the end of the month. It's been a fun ride.
- lcamtuf (@lcamtuf) March 21, 2018
But it does not end here. Since we also have one more drop on Twitter. Michael Coates, Twitter's head of security, is also initiating his withdrawal from the company. Although it has not yet become effective, it seems that the decision was made a few weeks ago. Although it has been revealed right in this complicated week for technology companies. Nothing is known about the reasons for his departure.
At the moment none of the three companies have commented anything on these losses. It is the less interesting that three leading companies like Facebook, Google and Twitter lose the person who occupies the same position in the same week. Therefore, we hope that more reasons will be revealed about these resignations. Since they have raised enough suspicions.