By JOEL ROSENBLATT | Bloomberg
X Corp., owned by Elon Musk, has filed a lawsuit against the state of California in response to AB 587, a law that mandates social media companies to disclose how they moderate content. Musk’s company argues that this law infringes on its free speech rights, as it interferes with their editorial decisions.
AB 587 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in order to protect the public by requiring social media platforms to divulge their policies regarding hate speech, disinformation, harassment, and extremism. The law also demands that these companies provide data on their enforcement of these policies.
However, X Corp. asserts that the true motive behind AB 587 is to pressure social media platforms into restricting content that is protected by the Constitution but perceived as problematic by the state government.
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Since Musk’s acquisition of the platform for $44 billion and subsequent changes, including the reinstatement of previously banned users and the termination of content moderators, advertisers have abandoned the platform. Researchers have noted an increase in harmful content due to the alterations made in content moderation policies. To address this issue, Musk, who identifies as a “free-speech absolutist,” has hired an executive to repair media industry partnerships and attract advertisers back to the platform.
The California Attorney General’s office, headed by Rob Bonta, has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
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Previously, various groups, including the National Religious Broadcasters, challenged AB 587 in federal court. However, their case was dismissed by a California judge who concluded that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated an actual harm resulting from the law. The groups have been given the opportunity to revise their complaint.
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