Elon Musk’s X sues California over content material moderation regulation

Elon Musk’s social media platform previously often known as Twitter has sued the state of California over a regulation requiring social media firms to publish their insurance policies for eradicating offending materials akin to hate speech, misinformation and harassment.

The first-of-its-kind laws was signed into regulation a yr in the past by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In a lawsuit filed Friday in opposition to state Attorney General Robert Bonta, X Corp. challenged the “constitutionality and legal validity” of the regulation, saying it violates the First Amendment.

Assembly invoice 587 requires social media platforms to submit their content material moderation insurance policies — which they already do — and twice a yr submit a report back to the state on how they tackle hate speech, racism, misinformation, overseas political interference and different points.

The regulation, “compels companies to engage in speech against their will, impermissibly interferes with the constitutionally-protected editorial judgments of companies such as X Corp.” and has pressures firms to take away or demonetize “constitutionally-protected speech,” says the lawsuit, filed within the Eastern District Court of California.

Since taking on Twitter in October 2022, Musk has upended the platform’s content material moderation system, shedding staff chargeable for removing problematic content material and reinstating accounts banned for participating in hate speech, selling Nazi and white nationalist materials and harassing customers.

He additionally disbanded a key advisory group, the Trust and Safety Council, made up of dozens of impartial civil, human rights and different organizations. The firm fashioned the council in 2016 to deal with hate speech, harassment, baby exploitation, suicide, self-harm and different issues on the platform. He has referred to himself as a “free speech absolutist” — although the billionaire has at occasions confirmed delicate about crucial speech directed at him or his firms. Last yr, he suspended the accounts of a number of journalists who lined his takeover of Twitter.

The invoice’s writer, Democratic Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, mentioned it’s a “a pure transparency measure that simply requires companies to be upfront about if and how they are moderating content. It in no way requires any specific content moderation policies – which is why it passed with strong, bipartisan support.”

“If Twitter has nothing to hide, then they should have no objection to this bill,” he added.

Representatives for X and the legal professional basic’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to messages for touch upon Friday.