August 1, 2023

Twitter has threatened to sue a nonprofit that tracks hate speech and disinformation online. The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has published numerous reports researching hate speech and the spread of disinformation on Twitter.

In response, Imran Ahmed, the head of CCDH, cautioned against Twitter’s attempts to silence their organization. Elon Musk, Twitter’s CEO, also joined the fray, expressing his criticism of CCDH’s actions in a series of tweets. Musk questioned the organization’s motives and called for transparency.

The core of the conflict revolves around CCDH’s report on Twitter Blue, the company’s premium subscription service. According to CCDH’s findings, Twitter failed to address 99 percent of hate speech reports from Blue subscribers. Twitter disputes these claims, stating they lack credibility and research support.

The CCDH has denied the allegations and said it does not accept any funding from tech companies, governments, or their affiliates.

Twitter suggested that CCDH’s operations might be funded by competitors and government entities, aiming to drive advertisers away from the platform. This legal battle adds to Twitter’s existing challenges with advertisers since Musk took over the company in 2022.

The sources for this piece include an article in Mashable