By Joshua Tyler
| Published
For the past few months, I’ve been working to report on the current state of Google search results, with an aim to help Independent Publishers better understand what’s happening. Last month, Valnet (the big media company that owns sites like Screen Rant, Game Rant, Collider, Comic Book Resources, The Gamer, Open Critic, Dual Shockers, and many others) began issuing legal threats demanding that I remove my past reporting on their company and its place in Google’s search results.
Valnet’s initial letter demanding my silence can be read in full here.
I responded to those threats by informing them I would not comply. You can read my full response here.
In light of my refusal to surrender my constitutionally protected First Amendment rights, Valnet’s legal council has informed me they will be “monitoring” all of my “articles, social media posts and other public activities.” Exactly what those “public activities” are is not made clear in their communication.
Miranda Ciavaglia
If I want Valent to stop “monitoring” me, I’ll have to delete past references I’ve made to their company and avoid making them again in the future.
Below are two examples of X posts I’ve made that Valnet is demanding the removal of. Numerous other examples can be found in their full communication, included with this article.
Below you can read the full text of Valnet’s letter to my legal council.
