A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by X Corp., formerly known as Twitter, against the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate. The lawsuit alleged that the center's researchers violated X's terms of service by compiling public tweets and publishing reports on the rise of hate speech, which allegedly led to financial losses for X.
U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer dismissed the suit, stating that it was primarily an attempt to punish the nonprofit for its speech and that X failed to demonstrate how the alleged data scraping resulted in financial harm.
X had sought millions of dollars in damages, claiming that the center's reports caused advertisers to flee the platform. However, the judge ruled that X could not hold the nonprofit responsible for the independent actions of third parties based on its reports.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate, a non-profit organization with offices in the U.S. and UK, regularly publishes reports on hate speech and harmful behavior on social media platforms. The organization has been critical of Elon Musk's leadership, highlighting a rise in anti-LGBTQ hate speech and climate misinformation since his acquisition of X.
X has expressed disagreement with the court's decision and plans to appeal. The center's founder, Imran Ahmed, characterized the lawsuit as a billionaire's attempt to silence critics and emphasized the need for greater transparency from tech companies.
The dismissal of X's lawsuit has been hailed as a victory for free speech and accountability by the Center for Countering Digital Hate's attorney, Roberta Kaplan. The organization has been commended for standing up against powerful entities in the realm of social media.
Several big advertisers, including IBM and NBCUniversal, had previously halted advertising on X due to concerns over hateful content. Musk's response to these actions was met with controversy, further highlighting the challenges faced by social media platforms in managing harmful material.
