Major Critic of X Sues After Being Banned From Platform
Freeman writes:
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/11/major-critic-of-x-sues-after-being-banned-from-platform/
X has banned the account of a prominent critic after he published data that he claims exposed the site's embrace of the far-right after Elon Musk's takeover last year.
Travis Brown, a software developer based in Berlin, alleges his account was first suspended on July 1 this year, several months after his data formed the basis of New York Times and CNN reports claiming that far-right influencers featured prominently among Twitter Blue subscribers, and how thousands of previously banned X accounts, including members of the far-right, were being reinstated on the site.
On Tuesday, Brown announced his decision to challenge his account's suspension in court in Berlin. "This is a matter of principle," he says. "I think it is important that platforms like Twitter are not allowed to shut down criticism arbitrarily." X did not reply to repeated requests for comment.
[...]
The legal proceedings in Germany are ongoing. For Ballon, the best case scenario would be if the court reinstates Brown's account again or rules the block to be unlawful. The worst outcome would be if the court declines to rule on the case because X's European Union headquarters are based in Ireland. HateAid is asking the European Commission to intervene using the Digital Services Act, a new rulebook that went into effect in August and is designed to protect freedom of expression online.
The best case is, if his account is reinstated?!?
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