X Backtracks After Auschwitz Complaint About Anti-Semetic Account
Auschwitz Memorial criticises Elon Musk’s Twitter/X for ruling antisemitic content did not violate rules. Offending account later suspended
Elon Musk’s X (formerly known as Twitter) has backtracked after telling Auschwitz Memorial that a blatantly anti-Semitic tweet did not violate its rules.
On Thursday the Auschwitz Memorial, which preserves the death camp set up by the Nazis during World War Two, criticised X in a tweet for failing to remove an anti-semitic post on the site.
It has been a bad week for content moderation at Twitter/X, with some notable gaffes and lapses as it seeks to fulfil Elon Musk’s description of being a free speech absolutist.
Anti-Semitic post
The Auschwitz Memorial tweeted a reply from Twitter, which said that after reviewing an account’s a blatantly anti-Semitic tweet, that the content did not violate its rules.
The Auschwitz Memorial had reported an antisemitic message on the site but pointed out that it had received a less than responsible response from X.
“Leaving such language unchecked perpetuates the cycle of hatred and reinforces the idea that such hateful language is acceptable on this platform,” the memorial wrote.
“Remember: it did not start with gas chambers but hateful ideology that was expressed with words,” it said.
The Auschwitz Memorial later tweeted that X/Twitter had suspended the account.
Update: the account has been suspended. https://t.co/zGr7O0doXu
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) August 17, 2023
Nazi content
This development after researchers have found an increase in hate speech and anti-semitic content on the platform since Elon Musk took over.
Earlier this month Elon Musk’s X Corp sued a London-based non-profit that fights hate speech and disinformation, accusing it of false claims and spooking advertisers.
The group, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, accused the company of intimidation and said its allegations had no basis in fact.
But it did not end there.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino last week had publicly affirmed the company’s commitment to brand safety for advertisers, when she confirmed that the Elon Musk firm was close to break even.
But this week two major brand names confirmed they will suspend advertising on X after their ads appeared alongside an account which has shared content celebrating Hitler and the Nazi Party.
