FTC Investigating Media Matters Over Allegations Of Collusion With Advertisers

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened an investigation into Media Matters, a left-leaning watchdog journalism organization.

The FTC began its probe Wednesday into the Democrat-aligned organization behind studies on hateful and antisemitic material on X, two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times (NYT). The regulator reportedly sent a letter to the entity saying it was investigating it over allegations of unlawfully working with advertisers.

Reuters obtained the FTC’s civil investigative demand Thursday. The agency sought information on any communications Media Matters may have had other entities investigating ‘misinformation’ and ‘hate speech’ online and in media, naming the World Federation of Advertisers’ (WFA) Global Alliance for Responsible Media, according to the document.

The FTC demanded any documents tied to an ongoing lawsuit from X, which is suing Media Matters and the WFA, the outlet reported. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, an appointee of President Donald Trump, addressed investigating online platforms in an unrelated case in December.

“We must prosecute any unlawful collusion between online platforms, and confront advertiser boycotts which threaten competition among those platforms,” he said, according to the outlet.

🚨BREAKING: The FTC has launched an investigation into Media Matters, the Democrat-aligned propaganda arm, over whether it colluded with advertisers to cut off revenue to conservative or pro-free speech entities.

Good! Media Matters has every right to complain about what I say —… pic.twitter.com/2k5APMHP8m

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 22, 2025

Elon Musk has accused Media Matters and other organizations of involvement in advertiser boycotts of X, which he bought in 2022, Reuters reported. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Federal Trade Commission Launches Probe Into Big Tech’s Censorship Of Americans)

Musk’s X filed a defamation lawsuit against Media Matters for America in federal court in 2023, the Caller previously reported. In the 15-page complaint, the social media platform alleged that the watchdog fabricated images depicting advertisements from major firms alongside posts by white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

The lawsuit was triggered by the group’s publication of a report that prompted major advertisers, including Disney, Apple, Paramount and IBM, to pull their support, the NYT previously reported.

The Daily Caller reached out to the FTC for comment, but they could only confirm that an active investigation was ongoing. They would not comment on the active investigation.