Elon Musk is suing New York over hate speech disclosure demands from X

India Today

4 hours ago

Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) has taken New York state to court, challenging the constitutionality of a recent law that compels social media platforms to report how they tackle hate speech and other harmful content. Filed in a Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, the lawsuit disputes the Stop Hiding Hate Act, which was approved in December, according to a report by Reuters. The law requires companies like X to submit biannual reports covering definitions and statistics related to hate speech, extremism, disinformation, harassment, and foreign political interference. Failure to comply could reportedly result in penalties of up to US $15,000 per violation each day.advertisementX, however, argues that this requirement infringes on its First Amendment rights by forcing it to reveal "highly sensitive and controversial speech" and compelling editorial decisions about what should be released – a responsibility X says belongs to the private, not public, domain. The company also cites a similar California law that it successfully blocked last year under free speech considerations, according to the Reuters report.In its court filing, X reportedly states that defining what content is acceptable online 'engenders considerable debate among reasonable people about where to draw the correct proverbial line. This is not a role that the government may play,' asserting New York is improperly injecting itself into editorial decisionmaking.Meanwhile, according to a report by The Guardian, the authors of the Stop Hiding Hate Act – State Senator Brad HoylmanSigal and Assemblymember Grace Lee – argue that the law merely ensures transparency on how social media firms police hate speech. The two reportedly also described platforms like X as "cesspools of hate speech" that have historically neglected to disclose their policies.advertisement
According to the report, the lawmakers have also responded directly to X, saying: 'Now more than ever...New Yorkers deserve to know what social media companies like X are doing (or not doing) to stop the spread of hatred and misinformation on their platforms'. They also firmly rejected any attempt by Musk to frame the law as unconstitutional, expressing confidence the court will uphold it.X, however, is arguing that New York lawmakers have taken inspiration from California's disclosure law, parts of which a federal appeals court blocked last September over free speech concerns. X and California reached a settlement in February that exempted the platform from that state's requirements. By highlighting this legal precedent, X signals its expectations of a similar outcome in New York.Since Elon Musk acquired X in 2022, the platform has significantly loosened its moderation policing, dismantling its Trust and Safety board and restoring previously banned accounts. A report by The Associated Press also claims that academic observers and advocacy groups have noted a rise in hate speech and extremism on the site since Musk's acquisition of the platform. Despite Musk proclaiming himself a 'free speech absolutist', X has taken legal action against researchers documenting this increase in hateful content – suing a nonprofit, though that case was dismissed last year by a federal judge.As per The Guardian, X has also targeted journalists and media outlets critical of Musk, suspending accounts and throttling links from platforms that publish articles he disapproved of.Tune In