Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) has filed a lawsuit against Media Matters for America, a left-leaning advocacy group. The lawsuit alleges that Media Matters “manipulated” data to “destroy” the platform by manufacturing images that showed advertisements from various companies alongside Neo-Nazi and white-nationalist content, portraying these as typical user experiences on X. This claim is contested by Media Matters, which had previously reported that ads on X appeared next to posts supporting Nazism.
In response to the lawsuit, Media Matters labeled Musk as a bully and expressed confidence in winning any legal action. They accused Musk of attempting to silence reporting through meritless lawsuits. Media Matters, founded in 2004, is known for its critical stance against conservative commentators and media outlets, positioning itself as a progressive research and information center.
The controversy around X and Musk intensified after several firms, including Apple, Disney, IBM, and Comcast, paused their advertising on the platform following Media Matters’ analysis. Further, the European Commission, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount, and Lionsgate also withdrew their ad spending from X.
Additionally, Musk himself faced criticism for amplifying an antisemitic trope on X. He later clarified that his comments were not directed at all Jewish people but specific groups like the Anti-Defamation League.
Amidst these developments, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into Media Matters for potential fraudulent activity related to their allegations about X, labeling the group as anti-free speech. Meanwhile, the White House revealed that President Joe Biden would join Threads, a Meta-owned rival to X, with accounts created for various high-profile individuals.