Elon Musk’s X asks judge to penalize researchers tracking hate speech platform [Video]

Attorneys for X Corp. and a research organization that studies online hate speech traded arguments in court Thursday after the social media platform sued the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate for documenting the increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased by Elon Musk.

U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer appeared skeptical during oral arguments Thursday in San Francisco, questioning X’s attorney how the center violated any platform rules simply by reporting on posts that were already publicly available.

“I can’t think of anything basically more antithetical to the First Amendment than this process of silencing people from publicly disseminating information once it’s been published,” Breyer said during back-and-forth with X’s attorney.

The case is being watched closely by researchers who study social media and the way it both reflects and shapes public discourse.