Elon Musk's X sues Minnesota over free speech concerns, says 'This will inevitably result in…'

Elon Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter) has reportedly sued Minnesota, challenging a law that prohibits the use of AI-generated deepfakes to influence elections. According to a Reuters report, the social media platform argued that the law is a violation of free speech rights. “This system will inevitably result in the censorship of wide swaths of valuable political speech and commentary,” X said in its complaint. For those unaware, Elon Musk, after the acquisition in 2022, removed Twitter's content moderation policy and renamed the platform to X.


What is Minnesota law that X has filed lawsuit against

Minnesota’s law – that X has filed a lawsuit against – makes it illegal to use deepfakes—AI-generated videos, images, or audio that appear real—to try and influence an election. According to data from Public Citizen, at least 22 other US states have passed similar laws, warning that AI can be used to mislead or manipulate voters.


What X says in lawsuit against Minnesota

In its lawsuit, X has asked the federal judge to declare the law as violating the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota's constitution, further arguing that it was impermissibly vague. The company also wants the judge to find the law is precluded by what is known as Section 230, a federal law that protects social media companies from being held liable for content posted by users.


X, through the lawsuit, is demanding a permanent injunction preventing the law from being enforced.


Not a first

The Minnesota law is already facing a legal challenge from Republican state lawmaker Mary Franson and social media influencer Christopher Kohls. Earlier in January, U.S. District Judge Laura Provinzino denied their request for a preliminary injunction to halt the law’s enforcement. However, her decision did not weigh in on the overall validity of the lawsuit, which is now under appeal.