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Fact check: Which specific voting machine companies faced lawsuits in 2024?
1. Summary of the results
Two major voting machine companies faced significant legal battles in 2024: Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems [1]. Both companies pursued defamation lawsuits against multiple defendants, including media outlets and individuals. Specifically:
*Smartmatic's lawsuits [1]:
- Successfully settled with Newsmax and OANN in 2024
- Ongoing cases against Fox News, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and Mike Lindell
Dominion Voting Systems' lawsuits [1]:
- Case against Newsmax scheduled for April 2025
- Pending cases against OANN, Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Lindell, and Patrick Byrne
**2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints**
The lawsuits are part of a broader strategy by these companies to rebuild trust and combat misinformation about their technologies [2]. In 2024, Dominion continued to face conspiracy theories similar to those from 2020, particularly regarding vote flipping allegations [3]. A specific incident occurred in Whitfield County, Georgia, where Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene claimed votes were being flipped [4]. However, Gabriel Sterling from the Georgia Secretary of State's office explicitly stated "There is zero evidence of a machine flipping an individual's vote" [5].
**3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement**
The question itself is neutral, but it's important to understand the context of these lawsuits:
- Financial Stakes: Both voting machine companies are seeking substantial monetary damages through these lawsuits [1], indicating significant financial motivation.
- Reputation Management: The companies are actively working to protect their reputation and counter false narratives about election fraud [2].
- Political Impact*: Various political figures and media outlets have financial and reputational interests in either promoting or debunking claims about voting machine irregularities. This includes both the defendants in these lawsuits and election officials who must maintain public trust in the voting system.