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X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased (apnews.com)

submitted 2 years ago by CantSt0pPoppin@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Twitter is threatening legal action against the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit that researches hate speech and content moderation on social media platforms.

The letter from Twitter's lawyers alleges that CCDH's research publications are intended to 'harm Twitter's business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.'

This is a pretty bold move from Twitter, especially considering that CCDH is a well-respected organization that has been doing this kind of research for years. And it's especially ironic coming from Elon Musk, who has said that he's a 'free speech absolutist.'

But Musk has also shown that he's sensitive to criticism, so it's not surprising that he's taking this kind of action against CCDH

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[-] ME5SENGER_24@lemmy.world 150 points 2 years ago

Please, please do that. I can’t wait to see the discovery portion of the trial

[-] badbrainstorm@lemmy.world 53 points 2 years ago

Yes, let's see the data

[-] Kraiden@kbin.social 13 points 2 years ago

I was just going to say, wouldn't they have to disprove the findings to win?

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[-] Red_October@lemmy.world 125 points 2 years ago

Elon used to love saying he was a Free Speech Absolutist, but once again that only extends to speech he likes.

[-] 1984@lemmy.today 37 points 2 years ago

The man will say absolutely anything.

[-] MargotRobbie@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago

Except things that are actually funny.

[-] enteroninternet@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

He likes any speech as long as it makes him money.

[-] Asafum@feddit.nl 25 points 2 years ago

It's our fault honestly. We kept hearing "free speech" but he's been saying "fee speech" this whole time!

[+] Encode1307@lemm.ee 109 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

[deleted]

[-] crapwittyname@lemm.ee 105 points 2 years ago

I love it. The gist is:

hate speech is running rampant on your platform.
you're doing nothing to stop it.
here's our evidence.
where's your e idence?
why are you spending time and money on fighting us instead of on fighting the literal white supremacist death threats on your platform?
telling us we've not sampled enough tweets while you're in the process of making impossible the mass sampling of tweets is...a bit rich.
we're not intimidated by your threats
your threats are also bullshit
we're not gonna stop

It's a textbook example of "no u" in grown up language. Bravo.

[-] Mrs_deWinter@feddit.de 62 points 2 years ago

Not to mention how it starts with

"We write in response to the ridiculous letter you sent our clients on behalf of X Corp."

They are not taking any BS. I love it.

[-] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 years ago

Legal snark is by far the most expensive brand of humor, but when it's deployed on your behalf it's so goddamn satisfying.

During a hearing in my divorce, I answered a question from the judge, the other lawyer says "we can't have hearsay in this discussion", my lawyer responds "well this will be a short hearing then because everything in your client's motion is hearsay".

That little snap cost me about $15 but it was worth it.

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[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 82 points 2 years ago

The best part of it:

If your clients do file suit, please be advised that CCDH intends to seek immediate discovery regarding hate speech and misinformation on the Twitter platform; Twitter’s policies and practices relating to these issues; and Twitter’s advertising revenue. In that event, a court will determine for itself the truth of the statements in our client’s report in accordance with the time-tested rules of civil procedure and evidence.

Now that is a nuclear statement in a lawyers letter...

[-] Dima@lemmy.one 47 points 2 years ago

I love that this is a legal letter and yet contains the very direct phrase:

That threat is bogus and you know it.

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[-] Wander@yiffit.net 66 points 2 years ago

It's a shame that people are still using that platform.

[-] Silverseren@kbin.social 30 points 2 years ago

I really think all the artists still on there are shooting themselves in the foot in the long run.

And that obviously has already started with the direct messaging restrictions that messes with contacting commissioners.

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[-] iegod@lemm.ee 51 points 2 years ago

Evidence based documentation is going to be hard to win against, unless the plan is just drag them through legal proceedings until they can't afford it. The american dream.

[-] Rhabuko@feddit.de 11 points 2 years ago

Wouldn't surprise me if in this case enough people would donate. Enough people are sick of Musk at this point.

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[-] Supermariofan67@programming.dev 49 points 2 years ago

For a company that claims to be desperate to cut costs they sure do have a lot of money for frivolous lawsuits...

[-] madjo@geddit.social 44 points 2 years ago

Does Stinky believe that by suing these researchers, the rise in hate speech didn't happen?!

[-] sunbytes@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago

No, but he can scare off anyone else from making him look bad.

It's expensive and scary to get hit with a lawsuit like this.

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[-] aranym@lemmy.name 15 points 2 years ago

Just donated to the CCDH, they definitely don't have the resources to fight Twitter alone.

Given that Twitter trust and safety was almost completely gutted upon his acquisition, I think it's very improbable that type of content was moderated effectively.

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[-] rodneyck@lemmy.world 43 points 2 years ago

The man-child billionaire says he is not for censorship, while using the judicial system to censor.

[-] MisterMoo@kbin.social 32 points 2 years ago

We don’t need to call it X or even the platform formerly known as Twitter. It’s just Twitter.

[-] EliasChao@lemmy.one 12 points 2 years ago

I mean their site is twitter[.]com

[-] Vlixz@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago

They haven't changed the url yet? Wonder when they'll do it..... Probably gonna break a lot of stuff everywhere.

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[-] kilorat@lemmy.world 32 points 2 years ago

This is a great example of a SLAPP suit

[-] Blackmist@feddit.uk 27 points 2 years ago

Sue everyone you don't like. That's the thin-skinned, narcissistic billionaire way.

Doesn't matter if they're right or wrong, pile up the costs and they'll all cave in.

[-] thorbot@lemmy.world 27 points 2 years ago

I think Elon's rebranding from "twitter" to "X, The Social Media Platform Formerly Known As Twitter" was really smart. You know what, I am gonna go XTSMPFKAST-eet that right now! Obviously the branding was the weakest part of the product he bought!

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[-] blue_zephyr@lemmy.world 25 points 2 years ago

Free speech absolutist.

[-] Phanatik@kbin.social 21 points 2 years ago

Free speech abolitionist

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[-] Smoogs@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago

Wasn’t he all about free speech and even against censorship?

“ I think if you go down the censorship route, it’s only a matter of time before censorship is turned upon you.” -musk

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[-] MSids@lemmy.sdf.org 24 points 2 years ago

If they go to court, wouldn't the court make them prove that the claim was false or defamation? And if CCDH can prove that it's not false or defamation then now it's legal record that hate speech has increased since the takeover? This all seems ok with me.

[-] Comment105@lemm.ee 16 points 2 years ago

That's not how the American court system works.

A company like Twitter can bleed the CCDH dry and just walk away with a frivolous lawsuit and a minor (insignificant) penalty.

And the way that works is not by accident.

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[-] DeepThought42@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago

Musk should sue himself then. Seems like he has done the most to drive away advertisers.

[-] dinckelman@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago

Free speech, but until something goes wrong. Then it's totalitarian government

[-] alienanimals@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Stop giving Musk free publicity. Don't post or upvote Musk spam.

Edit Not posting Musk spam on Lemmy does not mean there's no accountability. What Musk wants is for idiots like you to keep upvoting his daily bullshit and doing his marketing for free.

[-] xman664@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago

So let them operate under the radar and avoid any and all accountability? I think that might be exactly what Musk wants.

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[-] tenitchyfingers@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago

“Free speech for me, not for thee”. God, I’m THIS close to deleting my account there and just migrating back to Tumblr and bluesky. There are just too many users I love that haven’t moved anywhere else yet.

[-] gressen@lemm.ee 18 points 2 years ago

Try Mastodon. Remember to follow hashtags.

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[-] Cobrachickenwing@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 years ago

He is the forefront of apartheid theory and sees anyone not espousing it a threat to his existence.

[-] woshang@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

Driving ur attention to here:

X is a free public service funded largely by advertisers.

X aware that the CCDH gained access to X’s data without Brandwatch’s authorization,

[-] Jtee@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

How did they get the data? By visiting the public website. Unless browsing Ten is illegal that's a baseless claim.

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this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2023

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