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Twitter Unbans Nazi Sympathizer, Sues Anti-Hate Group for Reporting on Hate Speech on Platform

Danielle from Leaf and Core
Reading Time: 5 minutes.

A "dead" Twitter bird logo with an aproximation of Twitter's new 'X' logo on the eyeIn one week, Twitter* (or, ‘X’) displayed its own hypocrisy in a way that perfectly illustrated Musk’s commitment to having his cake and eating it too. The company unbanned Kanye “Ye” West, who had been banned for tweeting a photo of a swastika inside a Star of David, and had previously been banned for claiming he was “going death con [sic] 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” Ye, who has praised Hitler and claimed he loved Nazis, is back on Twitter. Then Musk lashed out at a company monitoring hate on the platform.

Independent studies have concluded that Twitter has become more dangerous for LGBTQ people, especially transgender people, after Musk took over. Musk immediately unbanned large accounts that had been banned for hate speech against transgender people, and allowed them to continue to harass and mock trans people. The site is apparently the only social network becoming worse for LGBTQ people, and Musk himself has interacted with accounts some have called “stochastic terrorists” for promoting anti-LGBTQ hate, dehumanizing LGBTQ people, and therefore making them easier targets for violence. A clear example of this includes bomb threats at a children’s hospital that anti-trans accounts had targeted in tweets.

Musk seemingly doesn’t mind his platform becoming rife with hate, having spread more than his fair share of it himself. Instead, it seems he’s upset that Twitter has gotten the reputation for being a place of hate. This has reportedly cut advertising revenue in half, and it could get worse. After all, Twitter has run ads for large companies next to hate speech and Nazi propaganda, which could push brands away. Now, rather than fixing the problem, it seems Musk may have set his sights on the groups compiling that data and monitoring hate on the platform.

Countering the Center for Countering Digital Hate

You ever play one of those games with some kind of random element? Like, every player has to push a button, pull an alligator’s tooth, tap a piece of plastic with a tiny plastic hammer, you know, something like that? Well, that was pretty much everyone who watches hate on the internet with Elon Musk. Everyone monitoring hate claimed hate was spreading on Twitter more than it had in years prior. You had ads from big companies showing up next to Nazi propaganda, Musk interacting with accused stochastic terrorists, or inviting Nazi sympathizers back to his platform. Reporting on Musk’s pro-hate speech rules was always like being an alligator’s dentist. It seems a single study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate was the one that finally made Musk snap.

CCDH claimed that, of 99 posts they reported on the platform that included obvious cases of hate speech that, by their judgement, violated Twitter’s rules, only one was removed within four days. You can still find most of the examples they listed too, however, some, but not all, feature a warning stating that the post may violate the site’s rules. The post is still visible, but won’t spread as much without someone sharing it. Here’s an example of the kind of hate Twitter did not act on within four days. Content Warning: A TON of hateful comments here:

These posts not only shared dehumanizing hate speech, which is a precursor to violence, but took it a step further suggesting lynching of LGBTQ+ people and imprisonment of Black people. A previous study found Twitter fails to act on 89% of antisemitic hate and 97% of anti-Muslim hate, while others have shown Twitter to be the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ+ people.

One of Musk’s Fits

Ad revenue is reportedly down at least 50% on Twitter, likely due to what appears to be a dramatic rise in hate. Musk doesn’t seem happy about that. Perhaps he wants to have his cake and eat it too, to allow Twitter users the freedom to post vile hate speech and keep the advertisers who don’t want their ads appearing next to actual Nazi propaganda. Twitter reportedly has become a place that isn’t safe for people who are now greater targets of hate speech and harassment. However, it has also become an unsafe place for brands, who don’t want people associating the latest Disney film with Nazi propaganda or calls to “protest” a children’s hospital.

Numerous studies have shown worsening hate speech on Musk’s Twitter. Meanwhile, Musk’s own policies relaxed hate speech rules and even permitted forms of hate speech against trans people. He himself has interacted with accounts that spread this hate. Rather than fix the problem of hate on the platform, which Musk apparently doesn’t see as a real issue, he instead has focused on the groups that study the hate spreading on his platform.

Musk accused CCDH of having poor methodology, however, most of the posts they show in their report are still on Twitter. It’s hard to claim their methodology, which they list in their report, was unfair when the posts the reported are still on the platform. Musk himself is hosting the evidence of their claims.

Countering Hate

“CCDH believes the public has a right to know about the spread of hate and misinformation on the social media platforms that shape our lives, culture, and politics.”

– from a response by the CCDH

CCDH has pointed out that they never stated their study was comprehensive. They took 100 posts that contained hate from Twitter Blue subscribers and waited to see if they would be removed. Twitter didn’t take action within four days on 99 of those posts, and allowed every single on of the accounts to remain active, instead of facing a ban or suspension. It’s all simple usage any Twitter user could do for themselves.

A day before Twitter sued CCDH, the company sent a letter to the non-profit, making claims of legal woes for them should they continue to report on Twitter’s hate. CCDH lawyer Roberta Kaplan responded.

“These allegations not only have no basis in fact (your letter states none), but they represent a disturbing effort to intimidate those who have the courage to advocate against incitement, hate speech and harmful content online”

– CCDH Lawyer Roberta Kaplan

The CCDH is far from alone in their reporting on Twitter’s apparent hate speech problem. The Anti-Defamation League, which tracks antisemitic hate as well as hate in general, Media Matters, and online media watchdog, and GLAAD, an organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights, have all done studies on Twitter’s hate speech, finding it worsening under Musk. Is Musk’s plan to silence every organization that looks into hate speech on Twitter? Because they’re all seemingly coming to the same conclusion. If that’s his plan, Musk’s lawyers are going to be incredibly busy.

“Musk is trying to ‘shoot the messenger’ who highlights the toxic content on his platform rather than deal with the toxic environment he’s created. CCDH has no intention of stopping our independent research – Musk will not bully us into silence”

– Imran Ahmed, CCDH Founder and CEO

Sources:

*Yeah, I’m going to keep calling it “Twitter” instead of “X.” Elon Musk has made his stance on deadnaming clear, so, really, I’m respecting his wishes by deadnaming his company.

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