BREAKING: Missouri AG launches official investigation into Media Matters over manipulation of X algorithm

On Monday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey informed the left-wing watchdog organization Media Matters for America that his office has opened an investigation into the group over alleged violations of the state’s consumer protection laws.

"As you are no doubt aware, a federal lawsuit has been filed against Media Matters, raising serious allegations that your firm falsely and deceptively manipulated the algorithm on X (formerly known as Twitter) through coordinated, inauthentic behavior and that you did so in an attempt to defame the organization and cause advertisers to pull their support from the platform, thus harming free speech," the letter began.

"The lawsuit alleges that you lied to the public, falsely suggested that fringe, extremist content regularly appears next to content from corporate advertisers when in fact the opposite is true," Bailey added. "At the same time, you appear to have used this coordinated, inauthentic activity to solicit charitable donations from consumers across the country."

Bailey wrote that he has reason to believe Media Matters’ alleged actions have violated Missouri consumer protection laws, "including laws that prohibit nonprofit entities from soliciting funds under false pretenses."

"I am especially concerned that Media Matters’ actions, if proven true, have hampered free speech by targeting an expressly pro free speech social media platform in an attempt to cause it financial harm while defrauding Missourians in the process."

Media Matters has been ordered to preserve all "records that may relate to your alleged effort to engage in coordinated, inauthentic behavior on social media platforms in order to generate false statements that were used to solicit charitable contributions under false pretenses."

This includes internal communications regarding the organization’s "strategy to target advertisers on X" to get them to pull advertising from the platform, communications with third parties and companies such as IBM, Apple, and Disney regarding this strategy, and "internal communications regarding your policies, strategies or operations related to generating stories or content intended to 'cancel,' 'deplatform,' 'demonetize,' or otherwise interfere with businesses or organizations located in Missouri or utilized by Missouri residents."

In late November, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also opened an investigation into the organization, writing that "Under the Texas Business Organizations Code and the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the OAG will vigorously enforce against nonprofits who commit fraudulent acts in or affecting the state of Texas."

"We are examining the issue closely to ensure that the public has not been deceived by the schemes of radical left-wing organizations who would like nothing more than to limit freedom by reducing participation in the public square," Paxton added.

The infamous leftist organization has been accused of exaggerating the amount of hate speech on X, actions that caused advertisers to leave the platform en masse.