Litigation
The Institute defends the freedoms of speech and of the press through strategic litigation designed to have a meaningful impact on the law, on public policy, and on public opinion. We litigate cases that have the potential to establish important new legal principles concerning the system of free expression, to influence the practices of powerful actors in that system, and to raise public awareness about contemporary structural threats to that system. We focus especially on complex and challenging cases that relate to new technology, including new communications platforms, and we favor cases that afford us the opportunity to draw on insights generated by our research program.
Our litigation prioritizes cases in our three focus areas, Free Speech & Social Media, Transparency & Democracy, and Privacy & Surveillance.
Featured
Coalition for Independent Technology Research v. Rubio
A challenge to an immigration policy targeting tech researchers and online safety workers
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Press Statement
Knight Institute Opposes Further Delay in Court Hearing on Release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Report
Says there is no justification for delaying oral argument
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Press Statement
Court Dismisses Journalists’ Case Against Spyware Manufacturer NSO Group
Decision is disappointing, spyware manufacturers should be held accountable in U.S. courts for actions violating U.S. law, Knight Institute says
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Press Statement
Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Banning News Organizations From White House
Knight Institute applauds ruling, says First Amendment bars president from transforming press corps into a propaganda machine
Our Docket
Showing 41–50 of 103
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FOIA Lawsuit
Campaign for Accountability v. DOJ
A FOIA lawsuit seeking proactive disclosure of the Office of Legal Counsel’s secret legal opinions
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Amicus Brief
Armendariz v. City of Colorado Springs
A case challenging broad police searches of the digital devices of housing-rights advocates
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Amicus Brief
Iowa v. Securities Exchange Commission
Litigation challenging the SEC’s climate disclosure rule
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Amicus Brief
Lindke v. Freed
A Sixth circuit case addressing the application of the First Amendment to government officials’ social media accounts
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Lawsuit
A.B.O. Comix v. San Mateo County
A lawsuit challenging the digitization and destruction of mail in San Mateo County’s jails
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Amicus Brief
Alario v. Knudsen
A Ninth Circuit appeal addressing a challenge to Montana’s TikTok ban.
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Lawsuit
Zuckerman v. Meta Platforms, Inc.
A case arguing that Section 230 protects tools that empower people to control what they see on social media.
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Lawsuit
Doc Society v. Rubio
A lawsuit challenging the State Department’s social media registration requirement
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Amicus Brief
X Corp. v. Center for Countering Digital Hate
A lawsuit claiming that public-interest research violated a platform’s terms of service
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Amicus Brief
Moody v. NetChoice & NetChoice v. Paxton
Supreme Court cases challenging Florida and Texas laws regulating social media platforms