HateAid is a far-left German censorship lobby. They have similarities to groups like the SPLC & ADL in America or Hope Not Hate in Britain. HateAid claims that free speech on Twitter is a threat to democracy.
Together with an organization called the European Union of Jewish Students [EUJS], they have filed a lawsuit against Twitter. The pair say that Twitter only censors 40% of the tweets they deem “antisemitism.”
HateAid and EUJS have even created a logo for their lawsuit. The blue Twitter bird with its beak held shut by an iron spring clamp. Germany does not have freedom of speech, and Twitter could face hefty government fines for giving Germans access to more freedom than the law allows.
According to the HateAid website, the group receives funding directly from the Federal Ministries of Justice and Family Affairs.
Another primary source of funding is the Alfred Landecker Foundation. This foundation was created by the Reimann family, who own the massive JAB Holding Company. JAB owns such companies as Krispy Creme, Panera Bread, Dr. Pepper Snapple, and many more. They fund the Landecker Foundation to the tune of twenty-five million Euros per year. Landecker’s website promotes the lawsuit against Twitter, saying the lack of strict censorship on social media threatens democracy and freedom.
Part of the lawsuit is predicated on the claim that Twitter is “violating their terms of service.” Twitter explicitly bans denial of the Jewish holocaust at the hands of the Third Reich. The lawsuit claims that Twitter is not going far enough to enforce this.
