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
Please, please do that. I can’t wait to see the discovery portion of the trial
Elon used to love saying he was a Free Speech Absolutist, but once again that only extends to speech he likes.
The response from CCDH is savage -
https://counterhate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Letter-to-A.-Spiro-from-R.-Kaplan-re-CCDH.pdf
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.
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.
Legal snark is by far the most expensive brand of humor
I trust that you’ve read this one?
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…
It’s a shame that people are still using that platform.
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.
If they leave Twitter, where are they going to go? Artists need to promote themselves. They sure aren’t coming here to promote themselves. Twitter has always been where people go to keep up with their favorite artists whether it be art, music, comedy, etc. If they leave then they’re shooting themselves in the foot. Twitter is still massively popular even if you don’t agree. Same goes for Reddit.
People who have made a living promoting themselves on Twitter aren’t going to leave it just because Musk is a dumbass. Most artists as you mention typical have business emails in their profiles. Until Musk does something to fuck with their income, they’re staying.
It’s the same shit when people on Reddit say they’re abandoning COD this year because the devs pissed them off only for the game to have the highest sales ever. You, me, Lemmy users, and Reddit haters are just a fraction of the people who use those sites.
They (celebrities) would have the biggest pull to get people moved onto one of these new services.
I know nothing short of the names as I don’t need that kind of app or service but if one of these new places like blue sky or mastadon had an easy way to get signed up for the masses then someone like Taylor Swift saying she was signing up and to join her there as she drops twixxter then millions of people would sign up in days.
On the upside, it’s mostly morons and assholes. The reporting that’s got Musk snorting rails of battery pack acid and pursing his oh-so-ruby lips basically addresses the stark increase in both the assholes and the vastly more numerous waterheads they manipulate and grift. I’ve looked at #X from others’ accounts and it’s hilarious. I’d feel guilty if I were to sign up. Undignified. Embarrassing. Icky.
Why? It’s mostly positive experience for me. I don’t quite see why someone else not liking Twitter means I shouldn’t be there either.
Someone else not liking it, sure. But if it’s doing nothing about hateful speech and death threats then by continuing to use it you appear to be fine with that.
I guess in a way I’m fine with that. I tolerate it. As long as it stays out of my feed atleast. I don’t see it being being something that Twitter is somehow especially riddled with compared to other social media companies or even Lemmy for that matter.
If I were to boycott every company that does something I don’t agree with I’d pretty much be living alone in the forest eating berries and mushrooms.
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.
