Hulk Hogan changed media forever with his Gawker lawsuit

Hulk Hogan's 2012 sex tape lawsuit against Gawker, initially for emotional distress and invasion of privacy, significantly impacted digital media. Hogan won the lawsuit, leading to Gawker's bankruptcy and the end of its freewheeling blog era. Tech billionaire Peter Thiel secretly funded Hogan's lawsuit as revenge for being outed as gay by Gawker. This raised concerns about wealthy individuals silencing media outlets, sparking fears of a chilling effect on journalism. The "Gawker Effect" led to publishers passing on sensitive investigations due to potential lawsuits. Lawsuits against media outlets by figures like Erik Prince and Project Veritas became more common. Elon Musk's X sued Media Matters, accusing them of driving advertisers away. Donald Trump has also strategically sued news organizations, including ABC and CBS, for unflattering coverage. The fear of costly legal battles now deters outlets from publishing unflattering news. Hogan's lawsuit unintentionally created a landscape where wealthy individuals can effectively stifle critical journalism.