Judge tosses Elon Musk's case against hate speech watchdog in excoriating rebuke

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by X against a watchdog group over critical reports about hate speech on a social media platform. The judge called X’s case punitive and not about protecting the platform’s security and legal rights. X had accused the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) of violating its terms of service by studying and reporting on hate speech on the platform. X claimed damages in the tens of millions of dollars. The ruling is seen as significant for research and accountability on X, as the platform has faced criticism for welcoming back white supremacists and other suspended accounts. The judge also noted that CCDH’s writing and data scraping were protected by free speech rights. X plans to appeal the decision.