Tell the FTC: Drop the Baseless Probe into Media Matters

The Federal Trade Commission has launched a politically motivated investigation into Media Matters, a nonprofit watchdog group known for holding powerful media outlets — including Elon Musk’s X — accountable.

This probe follows coordinated pressure from conservative lawmakers and media figures aligned with Trump, after Media Matters exposed the platform’s placement of major brand ads next to pro-Nazi content. X responded with a defamation lawsuit, and now the FTC is piling on with an investigation aimed at chilling future watchdog reporting and media advocacy.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about fair competition or consumer protection. It’s about silencing critics of the far right.

This dangerous precedent comes amid a broader campaign to bully advertisers, dismantle media accountability coalitions, and defund anyone who dares to speak up against hate speech and misinformation online. The FTC — an agency that should be defending public interest — is instead being weaponized to punish it.

We’re calling on the FTC to drop this baseless investigation immediately. Media Matters and other independent watchdogs play a vital role in our democracy — exposing truth, challenging disinformation, and pushing for accountability.

Add your name to demand the FTC end its abuse of power and protect press freedom.