A media-rating company founded by liberal media figures has filed a federal lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission, claiming the Trump administration is weaponizing government power to silence its business operations that critics say unfairly target conservative news outlets.
The Legal Battle Unfolds
NewsGuard Technologies sued the FTC and Chairman Andrew Ferguson in U.S. District Court last month, accusing the agency of abusing its authority to censor speech. The company, which rates news websites on credibility and reliability, claims the investigation aims to punish it for evaluating conservative media outlets. The FTC disputes these accusations, calling them unfounded in both law and fact.
A company that evaluates news outlets and websites to see which produce reliable journalism says it's under attack by the Trump administration. NewsGuard has sued the Federal Trade Commission over an agency investigation that the company says is threatening its livelihood.…
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) March 15, 2026
Founded in 2018 by Steven Brill and Gordon Crovitz, a former Wall Street Journal publisher, NewsGuard employs journalists to examine thousands of news websites. The company sells ratings to advertisers and artificial intelligence companies for $4.95 monthly, helping them identify trustworthy information sources. The FTC launched its investigation after congressional inquiries linked NewsGuard to coordinated efforts targeting disfavored media entities, according to court documents.
Conservative Outlets Fight Back
NewsGuard gave Newsmax a rating of 20 out of 100, declaring the conservative television network severely violates basic journalism standards. Newsmax spokesman Bill Daddi fired back, calling Brill a Democratic Party activist who created NewsGuard to starve conservative media of advertising revenue. Brill denied the political activism charge, stating his only political work was for Republican Mayor John Lindsay during college in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The Media Research Center published studies concluding NewsGuard favors outlets with liberal perspectives in its ratings. NewsGuard defends its methodology, citing clearly defined criteria including fact accuracy, use of multiple sources, and proper corrections. The company pointed out instances where Fox News scored higher than MSNBC in its ratings system.
Government Demands Raise Concerns
The FTC has demanded NewsGuard produce extensive internal documents, emails, financial reports, and subscriber lists dating back to 2018. NewsGuard argues this request is financially burdensome and fears regulators will use the information to target its subscribers. The company claims the investigation has already damaged its business relationships. FTC Chairman Ferguson told reporters in July that while he enforces the law, policy priorities come from the president the people elected to run the government.