Media Matters, a left-wing propaganda outlet that exists primarily to target conservative media and silence dissenting voices under the guise of media analysis, disclosed Wednesday that it had received a civil investigative demand from the Federal Trade Commission.
The letter, which functions as a formal request for information in potential regulatory investigations, seeks a broad array of materials. These include documents tied to Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters, internal communications with media and advertising organizations dating back to 2019, and details about the group’s technology, practices, and policies.
The lawsuit, filed by Musk followed a November 2023 Media Matters report showing that major brand advertisements had appeared next to pro-Nazi content on X. In response to the report, companies such as Apple and Disney pulled their ads from the platform. Musk responded by accusing Media Matters of defamation and deceptive tactics, claiming the group manipulated X’s algorithm to produce results that typical users would not encounter.
According to a source familiar with the FTC’s demand, the agency is requesting all documents produced during discovery in the ongoing lawsuit. Both Musk and Media Matters have also filed suits against one another in other jurisdictions.
Media Matters has also faced scrutiny from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who launched investigations into the group’s report on X.
