Facebook Fires Security Engineer After Shocking Tinder Stalker Claims
What the drama is all about? When the tech giant Facebook discovered that one of its own engineers was bragging about having insider access to private Tinder user data, they didn’t waste a moment. The employee, who was allegedly calling himself a “professional stalker,” got the boot—just a few hours after the claim surfaced.
How the mystery unfolded
- A Twitter user posted a screenshot on Wednesday that showed the engineer writing, “I’m a professional stalker” and boasting about searching for hackers.
- The tweet also called attention to the potential that this security engineer might be “likely using privileged access to stalk women online.”
- Facebook’s Chief Security Officer, Alex Stamos issued a statement saying the company pulled the plug immediately and that the employee was terminated as soon as the investigation confirmed the wrongdoing.
Facebook’s take on the situation
According to Stamos, the company has automated systems in place that log every access to sensitive data and flag abuse. If an employee cracks those rules, the result is always the same: termination on the spot.
Why this matters
Facebook is already under fire for how it handles personal data, with lawmakers digging deep during congressional hearings where CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified. This latest incident adds another layer to worries that tech firms may be using access they’re granted for very unintended—and frankly uncomfortable—purposes.
First scoop
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the firing, underscoring that even a single security breach or sloppy act can trigger swift corporate action. In the end, certainty won over any lingering doubt: the employee was fired, the evidence logged, and Facebook reiterated that abuse of controls will end in they’re out.
