Twitter being sued in Germany for antisemitic posts

Twitter was hit by a lawsuit in Germany in an attempt to force the platform to remove antisemitic content. The verdict of the landmark case could, for the first time, set a precedent for numerous impacted communities.

A lawsuit has been filed against Twitter in Germany by an anti-hate speech group and the European Union of Jewish students in the hope of forcing the platform to remove antisemitic content, reports The Jerusalem Post.

The case was filed by The European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and HateAid and is aimed at determining whether Twitter has a contractual obligation to its users, under its Terms of Service, to remove antisemitic tweets which contain sedition, including trivialisation and denial of the Holocaust.

The plaintiffs claim that the social media platform lacks moderation regarding content which could incite hatred.

“Twitter has betrayed our trust. By allowing hateful content to spread, the company fails to protect users, and Jews in particular,” said President of EUJS Avital Grinberg. “What starts online does not end there. Twitter cultivates real hate and violence, and as such, disregards our democratic values. For young people, engagement also means to commit and express themselves online. If Jews are forced out of the virtual space due to antisemitism and digital violence, Jewish life will become invisible in a place that is relevant to society.”

“We will no longer tolerate this! Remembrance of the Shoah (Holocaust) must not be merely expressed through emotional speeches, but also through clear positions, resolute action and protective laws. This lawsuit is the response of resilient Jews to the failure of Twitter and the rule of law,” Grinberg added.

According to a September study by the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism (ISCA), antisemitism on Twitter has increased and is more common now than before.