Twitter threatens to sue anti-hate group for reporting on Twitter hate speech

Twitter — now known as X — is threatening to sue the Heart for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) for its analysis into hate speech on Twitter that the corporate claims is driving away advertisers. In a letter to the CCDH, which was first reported by The New York Instances, Twitter lawyer Alex Spiro claims that the CCDH “repeatedly posts articles making inflammatory, outrageous, and false or deceptive assertions” about Twitter with the aim of harming its fame.

The CCDH is a company that goals to carry social media firms accountable for the unfold of hateful materials on-line. Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, the CCDH has printed quite a few experiences that recommend the platform is failing to guard customers from hate speech. In its most up-to-date examine, the CCDH discovered that Twitter doesn’t take motion in opposition to 99 p.c of hate speech posted by paid subscribers to Twitter Blue.

The letter, which Twitter despatched out on July twentieth, 2023, particularly addresses this examine, alleging the CCDH’s findings “aren’t supported by something that might credibly be known as analysis” and exists to drive away advertisers. Spiro says that Twitter has “purpose to consider” that the CCDH is funded by X Corp.’s opponents and authorities entities:

Twitter takes its dedication to free speech, the enforcement of its guidelines and insurance policies defending customers, and its robust relationships with its promoting companions all extraordinarily severely… to the extent that CCDH is passing off as neutral “analysis” materials that’s in reality being funded in assist of an ulterior agenda, your representations are all of the extra deceptive.

Spiro warns that Twitter can be investigating whether or not it may possibly take authorized motion in opposition to the group’s “false and deceptive claims.” One in all Twitter’s greatest issues proper now’s advertisers, and it looks as if the corporate’s new CEO Linda Yaccarino’s important position is getting them again. This lawsuit is supposed to assist with that aim, but it surely may need the alternative impact. If it weren’t for Twitter’s letter, I most likely wouldn’t have seen this examine (so good job, Elon).

The CCDH rejected the corporate’s claims in a response posted to its web site. “These allegations not solely don’t have any foundation in reality (your letter states none), however they symbolize a disturbing effort to intimidate those that have the braveness to advocate in opposition to incitement, hate speech and dangerous content material on-line,” the CCDH’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, writes. Pushing again on a corporation that uncovers hate speech — reasonably than really doing something about it — doesn’t actually look good on Twitter’s half.

Musk has been essential of the CCDH previously. Simply two days earlier than Twitter despatched its letter to the CCDH, Musk responded to a person’s tweet about its analysis: “Who’s funding this group? They unfold disinformation and push censorship, whereas claiming the alternative. Actually evil.” This newest letter solely provides to the rising variety of authorized threats Twitter has made previously a number of months.

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