100+ researchers say they stopped studying X, fearing Elon Musk might sue them

100+ researchers say they stopped studying X, fearing Elon Musk might sue them

a year ago
Anonymous $HYlO-3b458

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/11/100-researchers-say-they-stopped-studying-x-fearing-elon-musk-might-sue-them/

At a moment when misinformation about the Israel-Hamas war is rapidly spreading on X (formerly Twitter)—mostly by verified X users—many researchers have given up hope that it will be possible to closely monitor this kind of misinformation on the platform, Reuters reported.

According to a "survey of 167 academic and civil society researchers conducted at Reuters' request by the Coalition for Independent Technology Research" (CITR) in September, more than 100 studies about X have been cancelled, suspended, or switched to focus on another platform since Elon Musk began limiting researchers' access to X data last February. Researchers told Reuters that includes studies on hate speech and child safety, as well as research tracking the "spread of false information during real-time events, such as Hamas' attack on Israel and the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza."