X can proceed to trial in case against Media Matters after Texas judge ruling

A federal judge in Texas has denied Media Matters' request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter. The lawsuit, initiated in November, stems from a Media Matters report that highlighted the presence of hateful content on the platform alongside advertisements from major companies like Apple, IBM, and Disney. Following the report, these companies paused their advertising campaigns on X. X's attorneys argue that the report was "intentionally deceptive" and caused financial harm to the company. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled that X has adequately presented its claims, allowing the case to proceed to trial on April 7. Media Matters President Angelo Carusone described the lawsuit as a "frivolous" attempt to silence critics. In a related matter, O'Connor previously dismissed Media Matters' request to include Tesla as an interested party in the lawsuit, citing a lack of evidence for Tesla's financial interest in the case. O'Connor is also overseeing a separate antitrust lawsuit involving X and a global advertising association but has recused himself from that case due to a potential conflict of interest.

- A Texas judge has ruled against Media Matters' dismissal request in a lawsuit by Elon Musk's X.

- The lawsuit follows a report by Media Matters linking hateful content on X to major advertisers.

- The trial is set to begin on April 7.

- X claims the report was misleading and caused financial damage.

- Media Matters' president criticized the lawsuit as an attempt to intimidate critics.