Latest news with #MediaMatters
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Appeals Court Bars Texas AG Ken Paxton From Investigating Media Matters
A U.S. appeals court on Friday ruled unanimously in favor of Media Matters for America, a progressive media watchdog organization, blocking a Texas attorney general's attempt to investigate the firm for its reporting about brand safety concerns on X. Texas AG Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Media Matters in late November of 2023, after the organization published a report showing ads from major brands appearing next to antisemitic and white supremacist content on the social platform formerly known as Twitter. Media Matters' report sparked a wave of advertiser pullback, which angered X owner Elon Musk. Musk then sued Media Matters, alleging the group knowingly manipulated data to push a damaging narrative about brand safety on the platform. On the same day that Musk filed suit, Texas' Paxton kicked off a probe into Media Matters, alleging it "fraudulently manipulated data on A district court granted Media Matters a preliminary injunction, which blocked Paxton's attempt to enforce a pre-litigation the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed an earlier decision from a district court to block Paxton's subpoena attempt, calling the effort an "arguably bad-faith investigation." The court ruled on First Amendment grounds, determining that Media Matters' statements about X constitute protected free speech. "Paxton's contention that Appellees' conduct is not constitutionally protected because their articles were deliberately designed to mislead consumers about X is meritless," the court wrote in a 34-page ruling issued today. "The record is utterly devoid of evidence to support such a claim." The court added that Media Matters' "reporting on public issues are quintessential First Amendment activities.' In response to the decision, Media Matters President and CEO Angelo Carusone said in a statement: "Elon Musk encouraged Republican state attorneys general to use their power to harass their critics and stifle reporting about X. Ken Paxton was one of those AGs who took up the call, and his attempt to use his office as an instrument for Musk's censorship crusade has been defeated. Today's decision is a victory for free speech."The Texas Attorney General's Office did not respond to ADWEEK's request for comment by press time. X Rolls Out AI-Generated Ads in Push to Win Advertisers Back
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
US appeals court rules for watchdog Media Matters in fight over Texas subpoena
May 30 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday rejected Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's demand for internal records from liberal watchdog group Media Matters, calling the state's probe a retaliatory campaign against the nonprofit. In its ruling, opens new tab, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a lower judge's order that blocked a Texas subpoena for financial records and other information from Media Matters. 'Tellingly, Paxton has not offered any argument to dispute that the investigation was retaliatory,' Circuit Judge Harry Edwards wrote. Edwards called the Paxton probe 'an arguably bad-faith investigation.' Texas launched its investigation of Media Matters in late 2023, immediately after Elon Musk's social media platform X sued the organization in federal court. In that ongoing lawsuit, X alleges that Media Matters defamed it in a report that said major advertisers' brands had appeared next to right-wing extremist content. Media Matters has defended its reporting. The Texas attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday's ruling. In a statement, Media Matters president and chief executive Angelo Carusone called the court's decision a victory for free speech. A lawyer for Media Matters, Aria Branch, said the D.C. Circuit's decision should warn state attorneys general that "any attempt to intimidate and harass through baseless investigations will be met with decisive rejection from the courts." Texas sought financial records in its request to Media Matters, in addition to communications with major corporate advertisers and X employees. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission recently indicated it is also investigating Media Matters, according to a document seen by Reuters. The FTC, in a civil investigative demand, asked Media Matters to hand over any communications it had with other groups that evaluate misinformation and hate speech in news and social media. Carusone blasted the FTC probe in a prior statement and said the Trump administration has abused 'the power of the federal government to bully political opponents and silence critics." A spokesperson for the FTC declined to comment on the Reuters report. The case is Media Matters for America et al v. Texas Attorney General Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, No. 24-7059. For Media Matters: Aria Branch of Elias Law Group For Paxton: Lanora Pettit of the Texas attorney general's office Read more: FTC probes Media Matters over Musk's X boycott claims, document shows Media Matters accuses Musk's X of 'abusive' tactics in new lawsuit Musk's X likely to lose records appeal in Media Matters case, court says
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Disinformation Deluge Requires Experts to Step Up as ‘Truth Vigilantes'
As they've licked their wounds since the 2024 election, Democrats have debated how to knife through an information system thick with conservative influencers 'just asking questions' and other fact-free noise, wondering if they need 'their Joe Rogan' to compete. Whatever the tactics, the unsettling reality is experts and true authorities appear ill-equipped to burst well-fortified media bubbles, in what even their allies see as an asymmetrical war. The challenge, according to Angelo Carusone, who leads the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America, is not just the advantage that purveyors of disinformation enjoy, but whether once-trusted institutions and the people who lead them possess the tools to effectively fight back. He sees ways, but they might require new messengers as well as fresh strategies about how and where to deploy them. 'The expert community has to think about how they're going to evangelize and buttress the credibility of their fields,' Carusone told TheWrap. 'They're going to need warriors. They're going to need truth vigilantes.' Recent studies have painted a gloomy picture of the state of play. A Pew Research Center poll titled 'What Is News?' found that 55% of Americans say it's 'at least somewhat important for their news sources to have political views similar to their own,' further noting that the audience, not journalists, determine what constitutes 'news.' In a related study, Media Matters explored how the most popular and influential online shows — including those that self-identify as nonpolitical — are 'overwhelmingly right-leaning' by almost three to one, despite being described in categories like comedy, entertainment and sports. Some consciously straddle those lines, such as OutKick, whose founder, Clay Travis, parlayed his sports profile into a media platform that incorporates sports, politics and culture with a conservative bent. Fox acquired the site in 2021, and OutKick has grown significantly since then. Others have clearly taken note of such successful examples, with the Media Matters study citing various programs that have 'repeatedly pushed pro-Trump messaging' and right-wing narratives and disinformation that seeps into 'supposedly nonpolitical spaces.' In some respects, this dynamic is nothing new, in the same way Rush Limbaugh carved out a lucrative platform in AM radio, which then became overwhelmingly conservative, countering the 'lamestream media' and attracting an army of loyal 'ditto-heads.' The reason the current battle is so one-sided, Carusone maintains, is the political left lacks the infrastructure to mobilize in a way that can counter voices coming from the right, which has made 'strategic investments in incubating storytellers and talent.' Those storytellers are especially good at reaching what often get referred to as 'low-information voters,' helping them process and understand — or rather, feel as if they understand — complex hot-button issues. The talking points echo across multiple shows and personalities, bolstering conservative and pro-Trump narratives. 'They have reached such a center of gravity that they've created a feedback loop that is pulling more and more programming to the right,' Carusone said, while undermining confidence in institutions. 'Broadly speaking, credentialism just doesn't matter anymore.' That dynamic has certainly been true in medicine and science, where figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci have been demonized as part of efforts to discredit them, a void frequently filled by purveyors of quack science and miracle cures. Some experts in fields like science, medicine, economics and history — people who have invested lifetimes studying them, only to see dabblers swoop in with their hot takes — have taken it upon themselves to try combating disinformation, beyond the customary TV hits within like-minded silos on cable news. Dr. Neil Stone, for example, a London-based infectious diseases specialist, persistently uses his X account to attack anti-vaccine rhetoric and medical misinformation emanating from online posters while regularly calling out Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 'Social media has a really tedious habit of people dragging up junk theories which have been thoroughly debunked maybe 20-30 years ago, and now we have to do it all over again,' Stone said in one tweet, adding in another, 'RFK Jr. sounds learned and knowledgeable to the uninformed. He sounds like a fraudulent quack to experts.' Others have sought to address disinformation head on by venturing into the belly of the beast, so to speak, confronting the 'just asking questions' crowd on their turf. Historian Douglas Murray caused a stir by engaging in a viral exchange with Rogan and comic Dave Smith, challenging Rogan for booking guests who have 'appointed themselves experts, who are not experts.' 'If you throw a lot of s–t out there, there's some point at which 'I'm just raising questions' is not a valid thing,' Murray argued, while taking Smith to task for weighing in on issues without committing the time to research them. 'You're not raising questions … You're telling people something.' Although such moments occasionally break through via social media, the problem remains that people have limited time, and Trump and his acolytes suck up a great deal of media oxygen. In addition, some attempts to counter the right have also prompted derision for how inorganic and tone-deaf they sound, from Democrats in Congress posting goofy videos to a recent New York Times report about a Democratic plan to 'study the syntax, language and content' necessary to engage and gain attention from young men. Addressing that larger challenge serves as the underlying premise of MSNBC host Chris Hayes' new book, 'The Siren's Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource,' which argues that attention has become a major commodity, and observes that seeking to conduct serious conversations amid the current media din is 'like trying to meditate in a strip club.' 'Can't help but feel we're living through an increasingly existential war between spectacle and substance with spectacle winning battle after battle after battle,' Hayes recently posted on Bluesky, summing up the handicap that expert voices face. Former 'Meet the Press' host Chuck Todd complemented those sentiments during a podcast with Mediaite, saying that while Trump hasn't really changed — he suggested people go read his 1990 Playboy interview as proof — the media has shifted in a manner that benefits him in 'this era of grievance-driven, outrage-driven clicks.' Wading into that vitriol-laced swamp isn't for the faint of heart, which explains Carusone's contention that Democrats need certain kinds of 'warriors' to carry the banner. Moreover, Trump's willingness to use the levers of government against political opponents comes with certain risks. While Trump has blustered about investigating celebrities like Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey who have spoken out against him (and endorsed Kamala Harris during the campaign), there have been more immediate and tangible manifestations of possible fallout, including reports the Federal Trade Commission is investigating Media Matters for possible collusion with advertisers against X — an action Carusone has characterized as overtly political and an effort to intimidate his group and others. Nevertheless, Media Matters has vowed to continue fighting, with Carusone expressing the belief that despite the right's messaging edge, it's still possible to begin turning the tide. 'It is terribly depressing, but there is still a spark there that's not completely gone,' he said. 'The cancer's operable.' The post The Disinformation Deluge Requires Experts to Step Up as 'Truth Vigilantes' appeared first on TheWrap.
Irish Independent
25-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Elon Musk's X seeks to revive ‘thermonuclear' defamation case in Ireland, after libel tourism suit blocked by US court
The social media platform has been in a bitter row with the 'Media Matters for America' website and filed defamation proceedings against it in December 2023. The left-leaning media watchdog infuriated Musk, – the world's richest man – after it reported in November 2023 that X had placed ads for brands like Apple and IBM next to content that 'touts Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party'. Musk pledged to file 'a thermonuclear lawsuit' against Media Matters in response. X alleged both parties in the Irish case were ready to proceed to legal briefing Subsequently, X and its subsidiaries launched defamation cases in Texas, Dublin, and Singapore. Twitter International Unlimited Co launched the Irish defamation case in 2023. Media Matters accused X of launching a 'vendetta-driven campaign of libel tourism'. In April, Judge Vince Chhabria for Northern California, published an order stopping X from further prosecuting its case against Media Matters in Ireland. He cited its terms of service, which included a 'forum selection clause,' which he said meant lawsuits should have been filed in California. The judge said Media Matters' previous legal counsel appeared to have missed the clause, and it should not be 'punished' for this failure. Musk's company filed an appeal in the US against the order. In the filing, X claimed that if any court should consider Media Matters' 'belated invocation' of the forum selection clause regarding its Irish business, it is the High Court of Ireland. It said the case had been ongoing in Ireland for 18 months. X alleged the watchdog had made a considered decision not to invoke the clause in the foreign cases and had been relying on an argument that another venue was more appropriate to hear the case. X claimed Media Matters had waived its right to rely on the clause. X also alleged both parties in the Irish case were ready to proceed to legal briefing. It added the preliminary injunction had led the Irish courts to halt a hearing scheduled for the following day. It also claimed the Irish business was not bound by the terms of service Media Matters cited. If the stay is granted, X could resume its subsidiary's defamation case in Ireland.
Yomiuri Shimbun
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Federal Trade Commission Investigates Media Matters, Watchdog Sued by Musk
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Tech billionaire Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in April. Media Matters, a left-leaning watchdog group that publishes reports on conservative media and social media platforms such as Elon Musk's X, said it received a civil investigative demand letter from the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday. The letter demanded materials related to a lawsuit filed by Musk, communications with other media and advertising groups dating back to 2019, and information about its technology, methods and policies, among an extensive range of materials, according to a person familiar with the letter's contents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss legal matters. The FTC sends letters of demand as part of its investigations into organizations that it believes could have breached federal regulations. Media Matters was sued by Musk, a billionaire and close ally of President Donald Trump, after it published a report in November 2023 that showed mainstream advertisements appearing beside pro-Nazi content on his site X. Companies such as Apple and Disney suspended their advertising on X after the Media Matters report was published. Musk claimed the report was defamatory and deceptive, and alleged that Media Matters had manipulated the algorithm to show content and advertising placement that a regular user of X would not see. The FTC demand includes all materials produced through discovery as part of the Musk lawsuit, according to the person familiar with the contents of the letter. The lawsuit is ongoing, and Musk and Media Matters have each sued each other in other jurisdictions since. Media Matters was also investigated by the attorneys general of Texas, Ken Paxton, and Missouri, Andrew Bailey, both Republicans, over its report on X, but the organization was granted injunctions in its favor in both cases. Each attorney general had alleged that the nonprofit could have engaged in fraudulent business practices targeting X. In a statement, Media Matters President Angelo Carusone said that the Trump administration had 'been defined by naming right-wing media figures to key posts and abusing the power of the federal government to bully political opponents and silence critics.' 'It's clear that's exactly what's happening here,' he said, adding: 'These threats won't work; we remain steadfast to our mission.' The FTC declined to comment. Trump in March dismissed the two remaining Democrats on the FTC, which critics said called the commission's independence into question. It is designed to be made up of five commissioners who serve seven-year terms, with no more than three from one political party allowed. However, it currently has only three, all Republicans, two appointed last year by President Joe Biden and one by Trump this year. Media Matters was founded more than two decades ago as an advocacy group to monitor conservative media such as Fox News and report false or misleading claims made by right-wing outlets. It has worked to get advertisers to boycott Fox News.
