Content subscription platform Patreon has reportedly fired its security team, raising cybersecurity concerns among users, many of whom are threatening to leave the platform.
CyberScoop reported that popular subscription platform Patreon laid off its security team this week, prompting backlash from a large number of users. The layoffs gained notoriety in the community after privacy attorney Whitney Merrill tweeted a LinkedIn post from former Patreon privacy engineer Emily Metcalf. “I wouldn’t trust my data there,” Merrill said. tweeted out.
(Dmitry Nogaev/Getty Images)
Patreon claims to have up to 8 million monthly users on its platform, but it has a tough track record in website security. In 2015, hackers accessed the company’s user database and released gigabytes of internal data including usernames, email addresses, private messages and mailing addresses, but the attack did not gain access to a credit card or social security number.
Patreon said in a statement that layoffs from its security team will not affect its security program. The company said:
We parted ways with five of our employees as part of a strategic change that is part of our security program. The changes made this week will not affect our ability to continue to provide a safe and secure platform for our creators and supporters.
However, employees disagree with this definition of layoffs. Emily Metcalf, a former engineer, wrote in a LinkedIn post: “Me and the rest of the Patreon security team are no longer with the company.” Another former employee, who did not want to be named, said the team had been understaffed prior to the layoffs, and in the past four months the company had reduced its use of external security providers.
“There are no qualified security personnel,” the employee said. “No one else can use the tools we have.” A Patreon spokesperson said that “the majority of our engineers and security vendors remain in place,” adding, “We work with a number of external organizations to continue improving our security capabilities and to conduct regular security assessments to ensure we meet or exceed the highest industry standards.”
Many creators were outraged by the decision, including self-proclaimed “fat, weird, disabled New York City artist” Susanna Forbes. The company tweeted: “You are destroying our livelihood without providing security. My Patreon has always been supported by computer security experts. Guess what they are doing now? Their accounts are being deleted.”
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Source: Breitbart
