Sony threatens to sue Twitter over hack leaks

Company will hold Twitter responsible for any losses from leaks, it says in letter similar to one that was sent to media

Michael Lynton, head of Sony Pictures, says he was ‘forced’ to cancel release of ‘The Interview’ (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty)

Sony Pictures has threatened to sue Twitter if its users continue to share information revealed in leaks from its massive cyber-attack.

Twitter received the same letter that was sent to media organisations, telling them that to suspend an account that was sharing the information and informing that they would be held responsible if they didn’t. It came from David Boies, Sony’s lawyer, who also wrote to news organisations.

This morning, the user in question’s account, @BikiniRobotArmy, was still online. The account is run by Val Broeksmit, a musician from London who has been tweeting screengrabs of emails released in the leak since December 13.

The information was revealed through the crippling hacks on Sony that began on December 24.

He would receive requests from users for certain emails and then post them to his feed. He has said that he is unsure whether he will continue to stop the tweets or delete the ones he’d done already.

Sony declined to comment on the threats. Twitter confirmed that it had been sent the letter, according to Recode, which has been posted online.

Twitter told Vice’s Motherboard that while it was against the rules to post private information, it is permitted to link to it.