Musk threatens to sue researchers who documented the rise in hateful tweets

WASHINGTON — X, the social media platform previously generally known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a bunch of unbiased researchers whose analysis documented a rise in hate speech on the positioning because it was bought final 12 months by Elon Musk.

An lawyer representing the social media website wrote to the Middle for Countering Digital Hate on July 20 threatening authorized motion over the nonprofit’s analysis into hate speech and content material moderation. The letter alleged that CCDH’s analysis publications appear supposed “to hurt Twitter’s enterprise by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.”

Musk is a self-professed free speech absolutist who has welcomed again white supremacists and election deniers to the platform, which he renamed X earlier this month. However the billionaire has at occasions confirmed delicate about essential speech directed at him or his corporations.

The middle is a nonprofit with places of work within the U.S. and United Kingdom. It recurrently publishes experiences on hate speech, extremism or dangerous conduct on social media platforms like X, TikTok or Fb.

The group has printed a number of experiences essential of Musk’s management, detailing a rise in anti-LGBTQ hate speech in addition to local weather misinformation since his buy. The letter from X’s lawyer cited one particular report from June that discovered the platform didn’t take away neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content material from verified customers that violated the platform’s guidelines.

Within the letter, lawyer Alex Spiro questioned the experience of the researchers and accused the middle of attempting to hurt X’s repute. The letter additionally prompt, with out proof, that the middle obtained funds from a few of X’s rivals, though the middle has additionally printed essential experiences about TikTok, Fb and different massive platforms.

“CCDH intends to hurt Twitter’s enterprise by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote, utilizing the platform’s former title.

Imran Ahmed, the middle’s founder and CEO, informed the AP on Monday that his group has by no means obtained the same response from any tech firm, regardless of a historical past of learning the connection between social media, hate speech and extremism. He stated that usually, the targets of the middle’s criticism have responded by defending their work or promising to handle any issues which were recognized.

Ahmed stated he apprehensive X’s response to the middle’s work may have a chilling impact if it frightens different researchers away from learning the platform. He stated he additionally apprehensive that different industries may be aware of the technique.

“That is an unprecedented escalation by a social media firm in opposition to unbiased researchers. Musk has simply declared open battle,” Ahmed informed the Related Press. “If Musk succeeds in silencing us different researchers will probably be subsequent in line.”

Messages left with Spiro and X weren’t instantly returned Monday.

It is not the primary time that Musk has fired again at critics. Final 12 months, he suspended the accounts of a number of journalists who lined his takeover of Twitter. One other person was suspended for utilizing publicly obtainable flight information to trace Musk’s non-public aircraft; Musk had initially pledged to maintain the person on the platform however later modified his thoughts, citing his private security. He additionally threatened to sue the person earlier than permitting him again on the platform beneath sure restrictions.

He initially had promised that he would permit any speech on his platform that wasn’t unlawful. “I hope that even my worst critics stay on Twitter, as a result of that’s what free speech means,” Musk wrote in a tweet final 12 months.

X’s latest risk of a lawsuit prompted concern from U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who stated the billionaire was attempting to make use of the specter of authorized motion to punish a nonprofit group attempting to carry a robust social media platform accountable.

“As a substitute of attacking them, he ought to be attacking the more and more disturbing content material on Twitter,” Schiff stated in an announcement.