Authored by Michael Zhuang via The Epoch Times,
A New York-based Chinese dissident and political commentator has filed a lawsuit against X Corp., alleging the social media platform wrongfully suspended his account without explanation and may have acted under foreign political pressure.
Wilson Lei Chen, a U.S. citizen who is also known as Chen Pokong on his podcast, filed the suit in the New York State Supreme Court in December. On Jan. 5, the case was moved to federal court and is now pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, according to Chen’s Jan. 12 press statement, which The Epoch Times viewed on Jan. 26.
According to Chen’s complaint, X permanently suspended the political commentator’s account on Feb. 15, 2023, without prior notice or a detailed explanation. Chen alleges that despite filing multiple appeals, he received only automated responses citing unspecified violations of platform rules.
Before the suspension, Chen’s account, active since 2010, had approximately 150,000 followers.
He used the platform to comment on Chinese politics, promote democratic values, and direct followers to his YouTube channel, which has more than 450,000 subscribers, the complaint states.
Chen claimed that X did not adhere to its own terms of service, which, according to him, mandate notice, an explanation, and a fair review process prior to any permanent enforcement action. The lawsuit alleges breach of contract, deceptive business practices under New York law, and tortious interference with business relations.
The complaint also raises broader concerns about possible foreign political influence. Chen, a longtime critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said that his suspension may have resulted from coordinated reporting campaigns or political pressure aimed at silencing overseas dissidents.
The filing cites U.S. officials and media reports documenting CCP-linked online influence and harassment campaigns targeting the regime’s critics outside of China.
Chen said the suspension from X caused significant professional and financial harm, including lost audience engagement, reduced income, and damage to his reputation, according to his press statement. He is seeking reinstatement of his account, transparency of X’s moderation decision, and compensatory and punitive damages exceeding $2 million.
X Corp. has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
The company did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment by publication time.
Chen said the case raises broader public-interest concerns about potential external or foreign pressures that may affect how online platforms handle content moderation involving political speech, criticism of foreign governments, and transnational repression. Accordingly, he intends to pursue the matter through the courts.
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