Elon Musk's X Sparks FTC Probe Into Media Watchdog Group

The Federal Trade Commission has opened a civil investigation into Media Matters for America, according to Benzinga. The probe focuses on potential coordination with other watchdog groups to orchestrate advertiser boycotts against Elon Musk’s platform X. The probe centers on whether Media Matters aided ad pullbacks after Musk acquired X, which the group denies, calling the investigation politically motivated. The FTC issued a civil investigative demand for records of Media Matters’ communications with groups that monitor misinformation and hate speech, including the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. Both Media Matters and the Alliance are currently being sued by Elon Musk’s platform X. The inquiry overlaps with X’s antitrust lawsuit against major advertisers for allegedly coordinating to suppress ad spending, a case that could reshape platform-advertiser relations.