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
Francis v. DOJ
A FOIA lawsuit seeking disclosure of Office of Legal Counsel opinions issued over 25 years ago
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Quick Take
When It Comes to Social Media Blocking, Campaign Accounts are Different
Why true campaign accounts may not be First Amendment public forums
By Alyssa Morones & Katie Fallow -
Deep Dive
U.S. Courts Must Stop Shielding Government Surveillance Programs from Accountability
The NSA’s surveillance of Americans’ internet use raises serious constitutional concerns, but the government claims a lawsuit against the program would compromise “state secrets”
By Alex Abdo & Patrick C. Toomey -
Our Docket
Showing 1–10 of 55
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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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Amicus Brief
Krasno v. Mnookin
A case challenging the suppression of speech on a public university’s social media accounts
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Lawsuit
National Association of Immigration Judges v. Neal
A lawsuit challenging a government policy silencing immigration judges
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FOIA Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. DHS
A FOIA lawsuit seeking records on ideological screening at the border
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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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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
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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
Gonzalez v. Google LLC
A Supreme Court case addressing whether Section 230 shields internet platforms for their use of recommendation algorithms.