Renowned Austrian journalist Armin Wolf, best known as the “ZiB 2” anchor on ORF, has filed a criminal complaint against X (formerly Twitter) for refusing to delete hate-filled posts directed at him.
Armin Wolf vs. X: A Fight for Accountability
For years, an anonymous user on X published insulting and defamatory posts targeting Wolf. Despite the posts violating X’s own community guidelines, the platform refused to remove them, according to Wolf’s detailed documentation on his blog.
The Vienna Regional Criminal Court had requested that X disclose the identity of the user so legal proceedings could begin, but the company ignored the order. X claimed that, since its European headquarters are based in Ireland, Austrian authorities would need to issue a formal mutual legal assistance request. However, the request was rejected because the relevant data was not stored within the EU.
A follow-up request to the U.S. Department of Justice also failed, as the offense was deemed “not serious enough.”
“X Ignores the Law”
Wolf has publicly accused X of “openly defying and mocking Austrian and EU laws”, calling the company’s behavior a dangerous precedent for tech accountability. However, he admitted that pursuing a private lawsuit against a “billion-dollar corporation” posed significant financial and legal risks.
To mitigate that, Wolf and his media lawyer, Maria Windhager, have filed a formal report with the Vienna Public Prosecutor’s Office. They argue that X employees may have engaged in “Begünstigung” (abetment), meaning they effectively protected the anonymous perpetrator by refusing to delete the illegal posts.
Prosecutors Expected to Act
In Austria, Begünstigung is an offense that must be investigated by authorities without the need for a private complaint. Wolf insists that the justice system must act independently to ensure that even major U.S. tech companies respect Austrian law.
He has joined the case as a private participant and vowed to closely monitor how the proceedings unfold.
Broader Implications
This case underscores a growing global debate about social media accountability and the legal obligations of Big Tech to comply with national laws. If Austrian prosecutors proceed, it could set a major precedent for enforcing European digital regulations against non-EU companies.
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