In a recent development, a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s X Corp. against the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate. The lawsuit was based on claims that the center had violated X’s terms of service by compiling public tweets and releasing reports on the rise of hate speech on the platform. X argued that these reports led to the exodus of advertisers and resulted in a loss of revenue. However, the judge ruled in favor of the Center, stating that X had failed to show how the scraping of data resulted in financial losses for the company.
X, formerly known as Twitter, sought millions of dollars in damages from the Center for Countering Digital Hate. The judge, however, agreed with the Center’s argument that X cannot seek damages for the independent actions of third parties based on the reports released by the Center. The nonprofit organization regularly publishes reports on hate speech, extremism, and harmful behavior on social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Facebook. The reports have been critical of Musk’s leadership and have highlighted the rise of hate speech and climate misinformation since his purchase.
Following the dismissal of the lawsuit, X stated that it disagrees with the court’s decision and plans to appeal. Imran Ahmed, the founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, described the lawsuit as a “hypocritical campaign of harassment” by a billionaire who claims to protect free speech but tries to silence his critics using his wealth. Ahmed emphasized the need for federal laws requiring tech companies to release more information about their operations to increase transparency and accountability.
Ahmed hopes that the ruling will empower public-interest researchers to continue their work of holding social media companies accountable for the hate and misinformation they host. Roberta Kaplan, the Center’s attorney, highlighted the significance of the dismissal, stating that even the wealthiest individuals cannot bend the rule of law to their will. The Center has been lauded for standing up to powerful entities, with Kaplan emphasizing the courage required to challenge bullies, particularly in the age of social media.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate is not the only group that has raised concerns about the increase in hateful content on X since Musk’s acquisition in October 2022. Several major advertisers, including IBM and NBCUniversal, halted advertising on X following reports of their ads appearing alongside material praising Nazis. This setback further strained X’s efforts to attract big brands and their advertising budgets. Musk’s response to advertisers that stopped spending on X due to hateful material was met with controversy, as he accused them of engaging in “blackmail” and used profanity in his remarks. X has also filed a lawsuit against Media Matters, another organization that reported on hateful material on the platform.
