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Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has failed to obtain a court order to block a California statute demanding transparency in how social media companies manage content. This comes after X initiated legal action against the state in September, contesting the law as an infringement on free speech rights guaranteed by the US Constitution.

California’s legislation, enacted by Governor Gavin Newsom, mandates biannual reports from social media companies detailing their strategies for addressing hate speech, misinformation, and other harmful content.

US District Judge William Shubb denied X’s request to temporarily halt the law, stating the required disclosures are “uncontroversial” and “not unjustified or unduly burdensome” in light of First Amendment considerations.

X’s legal team argued that the law coerces companies into involuntarily restricting speech, disrupting editorial discretion, and could pressure platforms to suppress legally protected speech.