Musk’s X sues to block New York social media transparency law
By AFP
June 18, 2025
Elon Musk's X argues in a federal lawsuit that a New York state law requiring social media companies to report how they moderate hate speech and disinformation violates First Amendment protections - Copyright AFP/File Lionel BONAVENTURE
Elon Musk’s X Corp. has filed a lawsuit challenging a New York state law that requires social media companies to report how they moderate hate speech and disinformation.
The complaint, filed in a federal court in Manhattan, seeks to halt the law, which X argues violates the First Amendment by forcing platforms to disclose sensitive information about their content moderation practices.
“Today, @X filed a First Amendment lawsuit against a New York law, NY S895B,” X’s Global Government Affairs team posted Tuesday, adding that it had successfully challenged a similar law in California.
“X is the only platform fighting for its users by challenging the law, and we are confident we will prevail in this case as well,” the company said.
The New York law requires social media companies with over $100 million in annual revenue to submit semiannual reports detailing how they define and moderate hate speech, racism, extremism, disinformation and harassment.
Companies face fines of $15,000 per day for violations, which can be sought by the attorney general’s office.
X says the law is “an impermissible attempt by the State to inject itself into the content-moderation editorial process” and seeks to pressure platforms into restricting constitutionally protected speech.
– ‘Stop Hiding Hate’ –
Reporters Without Borders said in a statement that asking X “account for their actions against misinformation is by no means an infringement of freedom of expression, but the bare minimum to clean up the digital space.”
“Freedom of expression does not come without responsibilities,” it added.
The lawsuit comes after X successfully challenged a nearly identical California law last year, according to the filing. New York’s law is “a carbon copy” of the California provisions that were struck down, the filing adds.
X claims New York lawmakers refused to discuss changes to the bill after the California ruling, with sponsors saying they declined to meet because of content on X promoted by owner Musk that “threatens the foundations of our democracy.”
The company argues this indicated “viewpoint discriminatory motives” behind the law’s passage.
Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly member Grace Lee — who introduced the law — said in a statement that their act “does not infringe upon the First Amendment rights of social media companies, nor does it conflict with federal law.”
“Instead, the Stop Hiding Hate Act requires narrowly tailored disclosures by social media companies to allow consumers to better decide which social media platforms they utilize,” they added.
“The fact that Elon Musk would go to these lengths to avoid disclosing straightforward information to New Yorkers as required by our statute illustrates exactly why we need the Stop Hiding Hate Act.”
By AFP
June 18, 2025
Elon Musk's X argues in a federal lawsuit that a New York state law requiring social media companies to report how they moderate hate speech and disinformation violates First Amendment protections - Copyright AFP/File Lionel BONAVENTURE
Elon Musk’s X Corp. has filed a lawsuit challenging a New York state law that requires social media companies to report how they moderate hate speech and disinformation.
The complaint, filed in a federal court in Manhattan, seeks to halt the law, which X argues violates the First Amendment by forcing platforms to disclose sensitive information about their content moderation practices.
“Today, @X filed a First Amendment lawsuit against a New York law, NY S895B,” X’s Global Government Affairs team posted Tuesday, adding that it had successfully challenged a similar law in California.
“X is the only platform fighting for its users by challenging the law, and we are confident we will prevail in this case as well,” the company said.
The New York law requires social media companies with over $100 million in annual revenue to submit semiannual reports detailing how they define and moderate hate speech, racism, extremism, disinformation and harassment.
Companies face fines of $15,000 per day for violations, which can be sought by the attorney general’s office.
X says the law is “an impermissible attempt by the State to inject itself into the content-moderation editorial process” and seeks to pressure platforms into restricting constitutionally protected speech.
– ‘Stop Hiding Hate’ –
Reporters Without Borders said in a statement that asking X “account for their actions against misinformation is by no means an infringement of freedom of expression, but the bare minimum to clean up the digital space.”
“Freedom of expression does not come without responsibilities,” it added.
The lawsuit comes after X successfully challenged a nearly identical California law last year, according to the filing. New York’s law is “a carbon copy” of the California provisions that were struck down, the filing adds.
X claims New York lawmakers refused to discuss changes to the bill after the California ruling, with sponsors saying they declined to meet because of content on X promoted by owner Musk that “threatens the foundations of our democracy.”
The company argues this indicated “viewpoint discriminatory motives” behind the law’s passage.
Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly member Grace Lee — who introduced the law — said in a statement that their act “does not infringe upon the First Amendment rights of social media companies, nor does it conflict with federal law.”
“Instead, the Stop Hiding Hate Act requires narrowly tailored disclosures by social media companies to allow consumers to better decide which social media platforms they utilize,” they added.
“The fact that Elon Musk would go to these lengths to avoid disclosing straightforward information to New Yorkers as required by our statute illustrates exactly why we need the Stop Hiding Hate Act.”
Tom Boggioni
June 18, 2025
RAW STORY
FILE PHOTO: Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk gets in a Tesla car as he leaves a hotel in Beijing, China May 31, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
Elon Musk is now facing an uphill battle after stepping away from his position as an advisor to Donald Trump to focus his attention on his embattled Tesla automotive company.
And with that comes the threat that he may lose the faith of investors who helped make him the wealthiest man in the world.
That is according to former Jalopnik editor-in-chief Patrick George in a column for The Atlantic where he pointed out that it is not just consumers who have fled the Tesla brand due to his close alignment with the unpopular Trump –– which is also currently on the rocks –– but also a "brain drain" at his company that has been occurring while his attention has been elsewhere, primarily with his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
With the company now struggling due to a combination of a consumer boycott, dissatisfaction with a lack of innovation on newer models and plummeting stock prices, George suggested it will be up to the billionaire to turn things around at the company that makes up a large portion of his wealth.
And he currently doesn't have the supporting cast to help him succeed, according to the analysis.
According to the Atlantic report, "Something similar to DOGE’s steep staffing cuts has been playing out at Tesla. About a third of the executives who stood onstage with him two years ago have left Tesla or been ousted. Many other high-profile company leaders have resigned. Just since April, Tesla has lost its head of software engineering, head of battery technology, and head of humanoid robotics. Tens of thousands of rank-and-file employees left last year amid waves of mass layoffs."
Noting that Musk's hinting that AI will become a larger part of how the company is run, which led to more corporate departures, George wrote, "His actions might finally be catching up with him."
"Whether Tesla can rebound will test something truly scarce—not Musk’s wealth but the faith that others have in him. Musk has already alienated people on the left and right, but many people still fiercely believe in his ability to make them rich," he wrote before warning, "At some point, even they might start to vanish."
You can read more here.
Elon Musk is now facing an uphill battle after stepping away from his position as an advisor to Donald Trump to focus his attention on his embattled Tesla automotive company.
And with that comes the threat that he may lose the faith of investors who helped make him the wealthiest man in the world.
That is according to former Jalopnik editor-in-chief Patrick George in a column for The Atlantic where he pointed out that it is not just consumers who have fled the Tesla brand due to his close alignment with the unpopular Trump –– which is also currently on the rocks –– but also a "brain drain" at his company that has been occurring while his attention has been elsewhere, primarily with his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
With the company now struggling due to a combination of a consumer boycott, dissatisfaction with a lack of innovation on newer models and plummeting stock prices, George suggested it will be up to the billionaire to turn things around at the company that makes up a large portion of his wealth.
And he currently doesn't have the supporting cast to help him succeed, according to the analysis.
According to the Atlantic report, "Something similar to DOGE’s steep staffing cuts has been playing out at Tesla. About a third of the executives who stood onstage with him two years ago have left Tesla or been ousted. Many other high-profile company leaders have resigned. Just since April, Tesla has lost its head of software engineering, head of battery technology, and head of humanoid robotics. Tens of thousands of rank-and-file employees left last year amid waves of mass layoffs."
Noting that Musk's hinting that AI will become a larger part of how the company is run, which led to more corporate departures, George wrote, "His actions might finally be catching up with him."
"Whether Tesla can rebound will test something truly scarce—not Musk’s wealth but the faith that others have in him. Musk has already alienated people on the left and right, but many people still fiercely believe in his ability to make them rich," he wrote before warning, "At some point, even they might start to vanish."
You can read more here.
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