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Shaun Dakin, Co-Founder of #PrivChat
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Twitter: @PrivChat

Twitter Unexpected Privacy Hero in WikiLeaks Investigation

Named “Company of the Year” for Data Privacy Day 2011

Jan. 18, 2011 – At a time when social networking sites have often been the target of heated criticism over privacy concerns, Twitter finds itself unexpectedly basking in the praise of a grassroots group of privacy advocates. The group is recommending Twitter be named Company of the Year on Jan. 28 for Data Privacy Day, an annual international celebration to raise awareness about information privacy and protection.

Twitter’s reputation as a privacy defender skyrocketed on Jan. 7, when its users learned the popular social networking site had successfully fought the U.S. Department of Justice to unseal a court order requesting records for an Icelandic Member of Parliament and others associated with WikiLeaks. Twitter’s gutsy move led Wired.com writer Ryan Singel to write that its response should be “the industry standard” and spurred even normally cynical privacy advocates to cheer.

A grassroots movement formed among a group of privacy advocates on Twitter to recognize the company on Data Privacy Day 2011 with an inaugural Company of the Year award. The privacy advocates are asking people to join the movement by:

1. Tweeting with the #ThankTwitter hashtag to show gratitude to Twitter for defending user privacy.

2. Voting in a referendum on HeliosVoting.org to show support for naming Twitter Company of the Year. People can vote using Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Google, or Yahoo logins. Voting will be open until Jan. 28.

“There’s so much to be concerned about in terms of protecting our online privacy. It’s really inspiring to see a company fight for consumer privacy,” said Dissent Doe, a privacy rights blogger involved in the campaign. “We hope by awarding Twitter Company of the Year that other companies will realize protecting consumer privacy is important.”

For more information on Twitter as Company of the Year for Data Privacy Day 2011, visit PogoWasRight.org.

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The group of privacy advocates are participants in #PrivChat, a 1-hour privacy discussion that occurs on Twitter every Tuesday at 12 p.m. Eastern. #PrivChat focuses on breaking privacy news and issues. Advocates, legal experts, businesses and individual consumers from around the world participate.