An image of Elon Musk on a mobile device is illustrated in this photo. Imran Ahmed, founder of the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), is standing his ground against Elon Musk and asserting that his research team will not be deterred. Twitter, now referred to as X, recently filed a lawsuit against CCDH after the organization published a study in June that Musk disagreed with. The study revealed an increase in hate speech on Twitter since Musk’s acquisition of the platform. Ahmed, in an interview with CNBC, stated that CCDH has no intentions of ceasing their research on the spread of hateful content on social media. He encourages his team to continue investigating X. Ahmed expressed his unwavering determination by stating, “I’ve never, ever, ever walked away from a fight.”
Acknowledging the lawsuit filed by X, Ahmed refrained from commenting on the details but mentioned that he and CCDH have yet to be served with the lawsuit. Ahmed has faced criticism in the past, with Meta and TikTok disputing CCDH’s research methodology, though without resorting to legal action. X’s lawsuit follows a previous letter from a law firm representing the company, accusing CCDH of false claims related to a trademark-related law known as the Lanham Act. Ahmed characterized Musk’s behavior as an attempt to shift blame onto others.
Ahmed defended CCDH against allegations that it is a “censorship organization.” He also dismissed claims of covert funding from tech companies or foreign governments, emphasizing that the nonprofit relies on philanthropic trusts and public donations. CCDH has provided evidence of internet harms to the U.S. and U.K. governments and supports the U.K.’s Online Safety Bill. Ahmed believes Musk doesn’t truly grasp the concept of free speech and likens his behavior to that of a child refusing to take responsibility for his actions.
Following the lawsuit announcement, three Democratic members of Congress criticized Musk’s hostility towards independent researchers and raised concerns about his business practices. On the other hand, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan expressed support for Musk and sent a letter to CCDH as part of an investigation into censorship. CCDH received hundreds of donations and messages of support from various organizations, including Amnesty International and Planned Parenthood. Ahmed highlighted the importance of these organizations and their right to comment on the administration of private companies in the information ecosystem.
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