Judge Says Ftc Investigation Into Media Matters ‘should Alarm All Americans’

A national judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking nan Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into left-leaning defense group Media Matters.

Back successful 2023, Media Matters published investigation showing ads from awesome companies had appeared alongside antisemitic and different violative contented connected Elon Musk-owned X. When awesome advertisers subsequently pulled backmost from nan platform, X sued Media Matters. It besides sued advertisers and advertiser groups complete what it claimed was a “systematic forbidden boycott.”

After Musk’s then-ally Donald Trump took agency again successful January, nan FTC besides began an investigation into whether Media Matters had illegally colluded pinch advertisers.

On Friday, however, Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan sided pinch Media Matters and blocked nan FTC’s investigation. In her decision, Sooknanan (a territory tribunal judge for nan District of Columbia appointed by Joe Biden) wrote that nan Media Matters article represented “quintessential First Amendment activity” and nan FTC’s “expansive” investigative demands appeared to beryllium “a retaliatory act.”

“It should siren each Americans erstwhile nan Government retaliates against individuals aliases organizations for engaging successful constitutionally protected nationalist debate,” she wrote. “And that siren should ringing moreover louder erstwhile nan Government retaliates against those engaged successful newsgathering and reporting.”

Sooknanan noted that earlier his assignment arsenic nan existent FTC chair, Andrew Ferguson had appeared connected Steve Bannon’s podcast and called for nan FTC to analyse progressive groups criticizing online disinformation, and that he subsequently “brought connected respective elder staffers astatine nan FTC who antecedently made nationalist comments astir Media Matters.”

The FTC did not instantly respond to a TechCrunch email asking whether it intends to appeal.

Regardless of nan ineligible outcome, X’s lawsuits person already had a important effect connected nan targeted organizations, pinch Media Matters cutting unit (one of nan laid disconnected researchers is now running for Congress), while nan World Federation of Advertisers unopen down its marque information programme and reportedly complained of drained finances.

Sooknanan said nan FTC investigation has besides had its “intended effect,” prompting Media Matters to determine “against pursuing definite stories astir nan FTC, Chairman Ferguson, and Mr. Musk.”