• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechHuman Capital

Here’s How Much It Costs to Protect Twitter’s CEO

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 18, 2016, 11:20 AM ET
Squawk on the Street
SQUAWK ON THE STREET -- Pictured: Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, and just-named interim CEO of Twitter, in an interview at CNBC's San Francicso bureau, on June 12, 2015 -- (Photo by: John Chiala/CNBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)CNBC NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Don’t mess with Jack Dorsey.

Last year, Twitter (TWTR) CEO Jack Dorsey didn’t make a dime in salaries, bonuses, or stock awards from the company. He did, however, receive more than $68,500 in security services, according to a Twitter filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In a footnote embedded deep inside a recent Twitter filing, Twitter revealed that it paid $68,506 for Dorsey’s “residential security and protective detail” in 2015. In addition, the company paid more than $43,000 for the same security services for previous CEO Dick Costolo.

Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter and subsequently moved on to co-found Square (SQ), a mobile-payments company where he also serves as chief executive, was brought back to lead Twitter last year after a tumultuous few years. Twitter’s growth has stagnated and shareholders were growing concerned that it was being passed by as new services, like Instagram, Snapchat, and others, started attracting user attention. Dorsey replaced Costolo last year.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Twitter has faced serious difficulties. Since 2012, the company has lost money each year, despite growing revenue. In 2015, for instance, Twitter generated $2.2 billion in revenue, but lost $521 million.

Shareholders haven’t lost sight of Twitter’s problems. In the last year, shares are down more than 65% to $17.48.

It’s unclear what Dorsey is getting for the more than $68,500 in security he’s provided, but it’s not unorthodox that a billionaire—or a chief executive in general—might get a security detail from a company.

Last year, for instance, Equilar, which tracks executive compensation, released an analysis of Fortune 100 data to determine how much companies have been paying over the years to protect their CEOs. Equilar found that in 2013, Amazon (AMZN) paid $1.6 million for security on its chief executive Jeff Bezos. Like Twitter, Amazon didn’t detail exactly why it paid so much for security, but did say that it believed the cost was “reasonable and necessary” for the e-commerce giant’s “benefit.”

For more about Twitter and Jack Dorsey, watch:

Several other prominent companies, including Oracle (ORCL), Disney (DIS), and Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) have also paid massive sums over the years to protect their executives. Oracle, for instance, spends about $1.5 million safeguarding its CEO Larry Ellison.

That said, those high sums tend to be the outliers. Equilar’s report revealed that the average Fortune 100 company spends approximately $30,000 a year for executive security. The company added that the higher costs can often be attributed to one-time fees, including installation of security equipment. After that, the costs will typically fall.

So, why might an executive need protection in the first place? For one thing, he or she is running a massive corporation and is typically wealthy, making the person a target for some individuals, and critical to the ongoing health of a company—something shareholders care deeply about. In addition, Timothy Horner, head of security risk management at Kroll, told Fortune last year that some companies, like defense contractors that, say, make drones for the U.S. government, could be targets of the Islamic State. There’s also the possibility of a CEO facing the wrath of a “crazy niece or nephew.”

Twitter did not respond to a request for comment on what services its security detail provides for Dorsey.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

zuckerberg on a screen in court
LawMeta
One in three teens ‘experienced problematic use’ of Meta platforms: closing arguments begin in landmark New Mexico social media trial
By The Associated Press and Morgan LeeMarch 23, 2026
11 hours ago
man on stage at conference
CryptoCryptocurrency
Strategy purchases another $76 million worth of Bitcoin, all through sales of common stock
By Carlos GarciaMarch 23, 2026
11 hours ago
woman in blue button down looking at a piece of paper
Future of WorkHiring
‘AI killed the cover letter.’ This Wharton economist says the hiring ritual’s days are numbered
By Catherina GioinoMarch 23, 2026
14 hours ago
Reddit cofounder and CEO Steve Huffman
SuccessJobs
Billionaire Reddit CEO Steve Huffman says his company will ‘go heavy’ on hiring graduates because ‘they’re so much more AI native’ than older peers
By Emma BurleighMarch 23, 2026
14 hours ago
CryptoVenture Capital
Exclusive: The CEOs of Kalshi and Polymarket are arch rivals—but are investing in the same $35 million prediction market VC fund
By Ben WeissMarch 23, 2026
15 hours ago
Will Wilson smiles
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Startup Antithesis turns years of real-world chaos into hours of simulated mayhem—and key trading firms and crypto networks are paying close attention
By Lily Mae LazarusMarch 23, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.