Twitter is contesting a German court order demanding it provide data access to organizations researching election-related systemic risks. The order, issued earlier this month, aligns with the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which mandates large platforms like Twitter to facilitate research that serves the public interest.
The civil society groups Democracy Reporting International and the German Society for Civil Rights seek to examine how social media, including Twitter, influences the upcoming federal elections. Their investigation aims to identify potential manipulations. However, Twitter’s objection to the Berlin court’s order raises concerns about potential delays or obstacles in studying public discussions on the platform ahead of the February 23 election.
Twitter contends that the order violates its fundamental right to due process and threatens its users’ privacy and freedom of speech. The company claims that the summary proceeding lacked fair process. This development has raised questions about the balance between public interest research and the rights of technology companies.
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