The social media platform formerly known as Twitter, now called X, has issued a threat of legal action against a group of independent researchers. These researchers had conducted a study that revealed an increase in hate speech on the site following its acquisition by Elon Musk last year.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit organization, received a letter from X’s attorney on July 20, warning of potential lawsuits in response to their research on hate speech and content moderation. X alleged that CCDH’s publications appeared to have the purpose of damaging Twitter’s business by making inflammatory claims, which could drive advertisers away from the platform.
Elon Musk, the owner of X and a self-proclaimed supporter of free speech, allowed the return of white supremacists and election deniers to the platform after rebranding it as X recently. However, he has shown sensitivity to criticism directed at him or his companies on certain occasions.
The nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) operates in both the United States and the United Kingdom and focuses on monitoring and reporting hate speech, extremism, and harmful behavior on various social media platforms, including X, TikTok, and Facebook. It regularly releases reports to raise awareness of these issues and promote efforts to counter the negative impact of such content online.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has released multiple reports critical of Elon Musk’s leadership, highlighting an increase in anti-LGBTQ hate speech and climate misinformation on the X platform since Musk’s acquisition. One specific report from June pointed out that the platform failed to remove neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content from verified users, which violated the platform’s own rules.
In response to the CCDH’s research, X’s attorney, Alex Spiro, questioned the expertise of the researchers and accused the center of trying to damage X’s reputation. The letter also made an unsubstantiated claim that the center might be receiving funds from X’s competitors, despite the fact that CCDH has published critical reports about other large platforms like TikTok and Facebook as well.
The attorney alleged that CCDH’s intention was to harm Twitter’s business (formerly known as X) by making incendiary claims and driving advertisers away from the platform. It is important to note that X’s former name was used in the attorney’s letter.
Imran Ahmed, the founder and CEO of CCDH, stated that his organization has never received a similar response from any other tech company, despite their history of studying the relationship between social media, hate speech, and extremism. Normally, the companies targeted by CCDH’s criticism have responded by either defending their practices or committing to address the identified issues.
Imran Ahmed, the founder and CEO of CCDH, expressed concern that X’s response to their research could have a chilling effect on other researchers studying the platform. He worried that if X’s actions succeed in silencing them, it could set a precedent that might deter other researchers from critically examining social media platforms. Ahmed also voiced apprehension that other industries could adopt a similar strategy of using legal threats to intimidate those who seek to hold powerful entities accountable.
Regarding Musk’s past responses to critics, he has a history of firing back at individuals and journalists on Twitter. He suspended the accounts of several journalists who covered his takeover of Twitter, and he also suspended a user who tracked his private plane using publicly available flight data, citing personal safety concerns. Despite initially pledging to support free speech on his platform, Musk’s actions have shown a different stance when faced with criticism or perceived threats to his personal safety.
U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., expressed concern over X’s threat of a lawsuit against CCDH, stating that Musk seems to be using legal action as a means to punish a nonprofit organization that is trying to hold a powerful social media platform accountable. Schiff emphasized that, instead of attacking CCDH, Musk should focus on addressing the increasingly concerning content on Twitter.