Fired by Reuters
Keys is fired by Reuters.
Just got off the phone. Reuters has fired me, effective today. Our union will be filing a grievance. More soon.
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) April 22, 2013
Keys says his independent coverage of the events of the Boston marathon, where he tweeted information from police scanners that ended up being incorrect, was one of the reasons he was given for his termination.
I assume they were looking for an out…It’s my understanding that Reuters did not agree with some of the coverage I did on my own during the Boston Marathon events from last week. And they have a specific set of reasons for the termination which I don’t agree with and the union that represents me does not agree with. We are in agreement, the union and myself, that I have done nothing wrong, that the basis for the termination is incorrect and doesn’t hold any water.
Accuses DeRosa of copying Tweets
Keys accuses De Rosa, his boss, of copying his tweets.
.@AntDeRosa please don't copy/paste from my tweets – pic.twitter.com/YKsoErlkoR
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) April 17, 2013
Charged
Department of Justice charges Keys in connection with the attack. He faces three counts: conspiracy to transmit information to damage a protected computer, transmitting information to damage a protected computer, and attempted transmission of information to damage a protected computer. The two substantive counts carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Reuters, his current employer:
Any legal violations, or failures to comply with the company’s own strict set of principles and standards, can result in disciplinary action. We would also observe the indictment alleges the conduct occurred in December 2010; Mr. Keys joined Reuters in 2012, and while investigations continue we will have no further comment.
Reuters final warning
Keys receives a final written warning from Reuters about using a parody account to mock Larry Page, while employed at the company.
Although you eventually revealed yourself as the owner of the account, this series of actions displayed a serious lack of judgement and professionalism that is unbecoming of a Reuters journalist…Reuters journalists are never to misrepresent themselves. The creation of a fake account that did not identify you as the author clearly violates our Social Media Policy. The parody account, which disparages a public figure, also undermines our goal to provide an unbiased and reliable news service to our clients…Furthermore, the fake account embarrassed our News reporting team, and has possibly damaged our relationship with a company that we have covered aggressively.
Creates parody Twitter account
Keys creates a parody account called @PendingLarry which mocks the early release of financial data by Google’s Larry Page. The account is mentioned widely in the press, including on Reuters own wire service.
FBI visit
Keys is visited by the FBI, who show him a search warrant with 50 pages of chat transcripts. They interview him on his bed, in his pyjamas. He writes a confession for both the Cancerman emails and the LA Times defacement.
I am extremely remorseful for both actions, and am fully willing to cooperate with any agency on this or any other matters, and cooperate now and in the foreseeable future.
50 Facebook media feeds to follow
0 CommentsKeys is mentioned by Huffington Post as one of 50 Facebook media-related feeds to follow.
Time: 140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2012
Keys is profiled as one of Time magazine’s 140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2012.
If it’s news, Matthew Keys will probably tweet it out. He’s a curator of a timely cycle of news tweets, the stuff you probably haven’t seen yet. Keys is joining the ranks of news editors who dole out news as it breaks.
Joins Reuters
0 0 Mark Devlin Mark Devlin2015-10-12 23:46:162018-03-12 14:00:11Joins ReutersSends ‘Cancerman’ emails
Keys sends a series of emails to his colleagues at Fox 40, under aliases related to the TV show, The X Files. The “Cancerman emails” outline various grievances the writer has with the company’s ethics, including claims that the station dropped a news story because the subject threatened to pull its advertisements, and that the station invaded viewers’ privacy through a contest email promotion. Keys then sends emails to the contest email list about KTXL Fox 40’s perceived misconduct. Fox40, already on edge from the threats, spends hours fielding emails from upset viewers. Later Keys admits to sending the emails saying:
The emails was, was to be antagonistic, you know…It was more or less hooliganism.
Gives Tribune credentials to Anonymous
Keys identifies himself on an Internet chat forum as a former Tribune Company employee and provides members of Anonymous with a login and password to the Tribune Company server. He encourages the Anonymous members to disrupt several Tribune companies and urged that the Los Angeles Times should be “demolished.” Keys:
Go f-ck some shit up.
Hackers uses the credentials provided by Keys to log in to the Tribune Company server and make changes to the web version of a Los Angeles Times news feature, changing a headline to read: “Pressure builds in House to elect CHIPPY 1337.”
Hacker: [T]hat was such a buzz having my edit on the LA Times
Keys: Nice
Keys also changes the access credentials of FOX40 employees, interfering with their ability to access company servers, and obtained email addresses for FOX40 viewers, to whom he sends disparaging emails about the company. According the the company Keys’ actions caused the mobile version of the Times to be offline for a day, and resulted in thousands of dollars in costs for the Tribune Company in responding to the breach of its systems by shutting backdoor access credentials and assessing the full extent of the damage.
Hijacks Fox 40 Facebook, Twitter accounts
According to the FBI, after he leaves the company Keys retains the passwords to Fox40’s social media accounts, and prevents access to them by the company. He sends messages from the accounts to the public. He also deletes thousands followers from the company’s account.
Leaves Fox 40
After two and a half years at Fox 40, Keys is pulled up by his boss for criticizing the station’s coverage of a fire at a local mall, from his personal Twitter account. Keys tells his boss that he wants to exert his right to say what he wanted on his personal Twitter feed. His boss tells him to go home and not to work over the weekend. Keys says he cannot guarantee that, and never returns to work. Keys is terminated. He retains the passwords for the company’s content management system.
Joins Fox 40
Keys joins Fox40 news as an Online News Producer.
Was a one-man band for two years, updating breaking news, current events, political, entertainment and sports content. Launched social media platforms to promote content and engage with audience.
His title is changed to “Interactive & Mobile Director” with additional job duties two years later.