The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a UK-based organization known for its efforts against disinformation, is now facing scrutiny over its potential impact on U.S. political matters.
Just The News reported that the controversy comes as America First Legal (AFL) has petitioned the Department of Justice to investigate CCDH under the Foreign Agents Registration Act due to its links with U.S. and UK political entities.
The AFL's request for DOJ investigation focuses on CCDH’s alleged connections with both the U.K. and Scottish Labour Party and its reported interactions with U.S. political figures, including an advisement role in Kamala Harris’s campaign.
The organization's influence in U.S. democracy has raised concerns among watchdogs and legal observers, as AFL questions CCDH's compliance with FARA regulations.
An investigative report by journalist Matt Taibbi and investigator Paul Thacker has spotlighted the CCDH’s involvement in targeting Elon Musk's management of Twitter, now referred to as X, as a major topic on its agenda since January.
The CCDH's alleged political sway refers back to its co-founder, Morgan McSweeney, who is recognized for his role in U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s political ascension and is linked to Kamala Harris’s political maneuvers in the United States.
McSweeney, who co-established the think tank Labour Together, has been a key figure in shaping political discourse, engaging heavily in the aftermath of the Labour Party's election success in 2017. The AFL argues that CCDH's activities mirror actions resonant with the Labour Party's interests, influencing U.S. policy in troubling ways.
Adding to the complexity, CCDH has been under the microscope of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee for promoting lists like the “Disinformation Dozen,” encouraging social media platforms to potentially suppress voices like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. These actions further highlight CCDH's influential role in steering digital narratives within the United States.
The CCDH became embroiled in legal controversy when X accused it of improperly gathering tweets to report alleged increased hate speech following Musk’s acquisition, impacting X's advertising revenues.
Although dismissed, the lawsuit underscored tensions between U.S. tech policies and CCDH's advocacy for reform, advocating for liability shifts analogous to European governance models.
U.S. and U.K. governance within CCDH are reportedly intertwined, sharing board members across nations without notable separation in operational oversight, according to tax documentation. Claims state that board members Aleen Keshishian and Zack Morgenroth participated in discussions at the White House, activating policies aligned with the “Disinformation Dozen” initiative.
AFL's FARA letter suggests that if these board members contributed to U.K. Labour Party agendas within the U.S., they must comply with registration requirements as stipulated by foreign agent laws.
This concern extends to CCDH's influence on Attorney General William Tong's office, which drafted actions aligned against "fraudulent information" on vaccines, drawing on the CCDH’s published findings.
The organization has also pursued policy lobbying efforts, promoting frameworks like the “STAR framework” to change U.S. policy on digital platform responsibilities and establish a regulatory agency parallel to European structures. This advocacy effort was discussed in U.S. meetings, showing CCDH's active interest in shaping American internet policy climate.
The AFL contends that CCDH's goals align closely with U.K. Labour’s legislative proposals, notably Prime Minister Starmer's push for the Online Safety Act's expansion, which seeks to remove “legal but harmful” content from online arenas.
This policy echoes CCDH's past actions, such as demonetizing The Canary publication.
Simon Clark and Thomas Brookes, CCDH board members, are pinpointed by AFL for their involvement in social media restrictions and climate and anti-supremacy campaigns. AFL casts this involvement as a sign of CCDH’s strategic alignment with broader Labour Party goals, potentially overstepping into U.S. censorship realms.
AFL’s call for investigation is supported by documented instances of CCDH leadership discussing FARA stipulations during internal meetings, including expressions of concern by CEO Imran Ahmed over lobbying regulations and the necessity of timely compliance with such legal requirements.
The debate over CCDH's role as a foreign agent continues to capture attention, with implications for how foreign-based organizations could influence digital policy and political processes within the United States.
The involvement of McSweeney, recognized for his expertise in fundraising and strategic advisory, showcases how political talent from abroad might subtly impact domestic electoral politics through nonprofit channels.
