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 51–60 of 103
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Amicus Brief
Murthy v. Missouri
A Supreme Court case challenging the Biden administration’s alleged efforts to censor disinformation online
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Lawsuit
Coalition for Independent Technology Research v. Abbott
A case challenging the application of Texas’s TikTok ban to public university faculty
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Amicus Brief
O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier
A Ninth Circuit case addressing the application of the First Amendment to government officials’ social media accounts
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FOIA Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. CIA
A FOIA lawsuit seeking records on the government’s use of “spyware”
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Amicus Brief
United States v. Sultanov
An Eastern District of New York case addressing the constitutionality of warrantless cellphone searches at the border
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FOIA Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. Department of State
A FOIA lawsuit seeking records relating to the Biden administration’s review of the use of social media identifiers in visa vetting
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FOIA Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. Department of State
A FOIA lawsuit seeking records related to foreign state efforts to influence platforms’ content moderation
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FOIA Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. CDC
A FOIA lawsuit seeking policies restricting CDC employees' speech
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Lawsuit
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v. Tabak
A lawsuit challenging health agencies’ practice of blocking social media comments containing keywords associated with viewpoints critical of animal testing