A U.S. judge will evaluate on Thursday the possibility of dismissing X Corp’s complaint against a non-profit entity that has censored the rise of hate speech on the Twitter platform since Elon Musk took control. Last July, X filed a lawsuit against the Center for Countering Digital Hate, accusing it of attempting to “deter” advertisers by claiming that Musk was doing little to prevent hate speech, racist messages, and other misinformation from taking over the platform. According to X, the non-profit entity misinterpreted and improperly selected data to create false and misleading reports, intending to silence those who disagreed on controversial issues such as COVID-19 vaccines, reproductive health, and climate change.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate argued that Musk, a self-proclaimed advocate for freedom of speech, was attempting to silence others. The non-profit entity claimed it was not responsible for how advertisers reacted to its non-defamatory reports on public content on X and that the lawsuit violated California’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law. The non-profit entity also denied X’s claim that commercial competitors and possibly foreign governments were funding its efforts.
District Judge Charles Breyer of San Francisco will consider the dismissal request during a hearing. It is unclear whether he will issue an immediate ruling. The Climate Foundation Europe, supporting efforts to counter climate change, is also involved in the lawsuit. Musk, the world’s second-wealthiest person, acquired Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022. Since then, he has faced numerous criticisms for firing a significant number of X employees responsible for overseeing misinformation and allowing more harmful and abusive posts.
In November 2023, Musk endorsed an anti-Semitic message on X claiming that members of the Jewish community were fueling hatred against whites, stating that the user expressed “the real truth.” Although he has denied being anti-Semitic and attempted to rectify his post, in January, he visited the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz in southern Poland.
Advertisers have abandoned X since Musk acquired it and reduced content moderation, leading to a significant increase in hate speech on X, according to complaints from civil rights advocacy groups. Musk also serves as the CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, facing various lawsuits for alleged tolerance of workplace harassment.
Published by The Usa Herald, a news and information agency.
