Judge rejects Media Matters’ attempt to dismiss X’s non-libel lawsuit
A federal judge in Texas has decided not to dismiss a lawsuit from Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, against watchdog Media Matters. X alleges that Media Matters hurt its reputation by claiming that ads for major brands were placed next to extremist content.US District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth stated that X can move forward with federal claims, arguing that Media Matters “knowingly and maliciously fabricated side-by-side images” showing major advertisers next to neo-Nazi content, which reportedly led some companies to stop or cut back on their ads.
O’Connor rejected Media Matters’ attempts to get the case thrown out, including the claim that it couldn’t be liable for business disparagement because it was reporting true statements. He pointed out that X had made a strong enough case that Media Matters acted with “actual malice” in its criticisms of the platform.
Media Matters for America was launched in May 2004. | Image credit – MMFA
Ad revenue on X took a hit after Musk bought the platform in 2022 for $44 billion. Following the acquisition, X faced criticism for its relaxed content moderation, as it reinstated previously suspended accounts, leading brands to worry about their ads showing up next to inappropriate content.
The Media Matters report at the heart of X’s lawsuit was published online in November. The organization claimed to have found ads from Apple, IBM, Oracle, and other companies placed alongside posts praising the Nazi party.
This report came just a day after Musk agreed with a user on X who falsely claimed that Jewish people were fueling hatred against white people, stating that the user was expressing “the actual truth.” Musk later issued an apology for his comments.
So, basically, a lawsuit aimed at silencing critics of Elon Musk’s X is set to proceed. And it looks like X isn’t going after MMFA for lying; instead, it is upset that they are digging up negative stories about the company and not presenting them in a more flattering way.In other news about X, the platform is on the verge of being suspended across Brazil, a country with a population of 217 million.
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