defamation
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Australia's top court rules Google isn't a publisher
Google has won an appeal determining that it isn't a publisher merely by linking content.
Elon Musk wins defamation trial over ‘pedo’ remarks
A lawyer representing Vernon Unsworth called Elon Musk a "billionaire bully," and sought up to $190 million in damages but a jury decided in the CEO's favor anyway. They ruled that his series of tweets last year that referenced Unsworth as a "pedo guy" and promised a "signed dollar" if it was true were not defamatory. Musk also called Unsworth a "child rapist" in emails to a Buzzfeed reporter, but the court case was not a judgement over that statement, or his decision to pay a private investigator $50,000 to investigate the man. The diver became a target of the comments that Musk called a "common insult" after he disparaged Musk's unused plan to involve a miniature submarine in the rescue of 12 boys and a soccer coach trapped in a cave. Unsworth participated in the rescue effort and is credited with helping recruit divers who helped bring the boys to safety.
Huawei is suing French critics who say it's tied to the Chinese state
Huawei is taking a more aggressive stance against critics who say it has ties to the Chinese government, according to Bloomberg and French investigative site La Lettre A. The telecom giant has filed three defamation suits in France against a French researcher, broadcast journalist and wireless network expert, all of whom made comments on different television programs. Huawei has confirmed that the claims were filed back in March.
Judge refuses to block the release of ‘The Laundromat’ on Netflix
A judge in Connecticut has refused to block the release of The Laundromat, which arrived on Netflix today. Earlier this week, the lawyers portrayed in the film filed a defamation claim, arguing that the movie unfairly cast them in a negative light. As Deadline reports, Judge Janet Bond Arterton has refused to issue the injunction, but only because Arterton says the Connecticut court had no jurisdiction over the issue. Instead, the case will be transferred to California.
The Panama Papers lawyers want to stop Netflix’s ‘The Laundromat’
Just days before The Laundromat is scheduled to arrive on Netflix, the lawyers portrayed in the movie have filed a defamation action against Netflix and are trying to prevent the film's release.
Elon Musk painted as 'thin-skinned billionaire' in court documents
The fallout from Elon Musk's ill-advised "pedo guy" comments -- made last year about British cave rescuer Vernon Unsworth -- is not going away. In new court documents, Unsworth didn't hold back when it came to his opinion of the South African tech billionaire, accusing him of orchestrating "a malicious, false and anonymous leak campaign in the UK and Australian press."
Elon Musk will go to court over 'pedo guy' comments
Elon Musk hasn't had success avoiding a trial over his accusations that cave rescue diver Vernon Unsworth was a "pedo guy." Judge Stephen Wilson has determined that the defamation lawsuit is strong enough to go to trial, with the court battle due to start on October 22nd. While Musk's attorneys argued that he was just stating his "opinion," the judge pointed to emails Musk sent to BuzzFeed where he made detailed (and unsupported) claims that Unsworth had a child bride. In the context, the judge said, an observer would likely conclude that Musk was making "assertions of objective fact" rather than sharing his thoughts.
Facebook will do more to tackle scam ads following defamation lawsuit
UK TV personality Martin Lewis has dropped his defamation lawsuit against Facebook after the company pledged to step up its fight against scam ads. Lewis -- who dishes out personal finance advice on UK morning shows and is the co-founder of the MoneySavingExpert consumer website -- launched his legal action against the social network in April of last year. He said that over 1,000 fake adverts had appeared on Facebook bearing his face or name, many of them crypto scams.
Elon Musk asks judge to toss 'pedo guy' defamation lawsuit
Elon Musk is hoping to end the US lawsuit over his "pedo guy" statements against British cave diver Vernon Unsworth before it gets started. His attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that his insults weren't serious and thus were protected free speech in the US. This was just a "schoolyard spat," Musk's attorneys said. They contended that Twitter was a place where you could "expect to read opinions, not facts," and thus that no one could realistically assume Musk was telling the truth.
Detective sues Netflix for defamation over 'Making a Murderer'
The latest twist in the story of Netflix's acclaimed Making a Murderer series is going to play out in the courts once again, but this time Netflix is directly involved. That's because one of the detectives in the case, Andrew Colborn, has filed a defamation lawsuit (PDF) naming the streaming company, its executives Lisa Nishimura and Adam Del Deo, documentary directors Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos and editor Mary Manhardt as defendants. The former police officer claims that he was not a "public official," and that the documentary misrepresented him as someone who planted evidence while leaving out key information about the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. The filing calls out specific scenes, like a close-up shot of a blood vial with a hole in the top during episode four as "manipulated" facts that suggest evidence tampering when he says it was a result of standard testing and storage. People have called out the series for allegedly leaving out details before, but the stakes here are higher. Colburn is seeking a judgement against the defendants and also a clarification to attempt to clear his name.
British cave diver sues Elon Musk over 'pedo guy' comments
Recently, Elon Musk doubled down on his claim that the British cave diver who helped rescue children trapped in a Thai cave was a pedophile, going so far as to tell BuzzFeed News, "I hope he fucking sues me." Well, it looks like Musk got his wish as Vernon Unsworth has filed a defamation suit against the Tesla CEO in a Los Angeles federal court. "Elon Musk falsely accused Vern Unsworth of being guilty of heinous crimes," Unsworth's lawyer said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. "Musk's influence and wealth cannot convert his lies into truth or protect him from accountability for his wrongdoing in a court of law."
Stitcher removes Alex Jones’ podcast from its platform
While Facebook, YouTube and Spotify have taken down a handful of videos and podcast episodes from Alex Jones' pages, Stitcher has now gone a step further, removing his entire podcast from its platform. Last night on Twitter, the company said that it had reviewed Jones' podcasts and "found he has, on multiple occasions, harassed or allowed harassment of private individuals and organizations." Stitcher also noted that Jones' targeted harassment -- which has been directed towards parents of Sandy Hook victims and students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, among others -- has led his listeners "to engage in similar harassment and other damaging activity." Because of these actions, it said it would remove Jones' podcasts from the Stitcher platform.
Why is a celebrity personal-finance guru suing Facebook?
Martin Lewis is a British journalist, TV presenter and Ralph Nader-esque campaigner who has announced that he will sue Facebook for defamation. The consumer champion has seen his face co-opted by nefarious types who use his name (and brand) to sell cryptocurrency scams. These get-rich-quick ads are often posted on Facebook, and because the social network doesn't seem to have a handle on them, Lewis is taking the battle to court.
Germany can fine Facebook up to $57 million over hate speech
Germany has passed a contentious law allowing fines of up to €50 million ($57 million) for social networks like Facebook and Twitter if they don't pull hate speech down quickly enough. Called the Network Enforcement Act or "Facebook Law," it was passed by Germany's parliament on Friday, and will go into effect starting this October.
James Woods is involved in another Twitter lawsuit
If you've taken someone to court for something they tweeted about you, then you should probably be familiar with how defamation law works. Apropos of nothing, James Woods, who previously sued a Twitter user for suggesting that the actor had a substance abuse issue, is now being sued for something he tweeted. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Portia Boulger has lodged a suit in Ohio alleging that Woods incorrectly identified her as a "nazi."
James Woods gets permission to sue his Twitter abuser
This week has already seen plenty of focus on Twitter's sometimes toxic culture, and now another high-profile victim is speaking out. James Woods has reportedly been given the go-ahead to launch a $10 million anti-defamation lawsuit against an anonymous Twitter user that suggested the actor used drugs. The case was expected to be thrown out by Judge Mel Recana at a hearing on February 2nd, but chose not to at the last minute. The Hollywood Reporter is claiming to have seen court documents saying that the statement was sufficiently factual not to be dismissed as Twitter hyperbole.
Apple threatens defamation lawsuit in Chinese iPad trademark case
Apple and Proview are in a heated legal battle over the ownership of the iPad name in China and now Apple is threatening to sue the Asian company for defamation. Apple is upset with Proview's attempt to reclaim the iPad trademark and use it to ban iPad sales in China. According to PC World, Apple supposedly sent a letter to Proview founder Yang Rongshan which says, "It is inappropriate to release information contrary to the facts to the media, especially when such disclosures have the effect of wrongfully causing damage to Apple's reputation," Apple's letter follows a public press conference by Yang during which he claimed Proview never transferred the trademark to Apple. Yang claims the Taiwan subsidiary did not have the authority to sell the trademark and the main Proview company was not aware of the deal. Apple asserts it owns the trademark and bought it from Proview's Taiwan subsidiary in 2009 with the knowledge and consent of the parent company. Apple supposedly has emails to back up this claim and has already won a case in a Hong Kong court. Undeterred, Proview continues to pursue its legal battle in China and is asking Apple for US$400 million in compensation to settle the case. It's also seeking a ban on the import and export of the iPad into the country and has halted sales of the tablet in select Chinese cities.
English Court: Top Gear didn't libel Tesla
BBC's Top Gear (it's like The Engadget Show, but for cars) did not libel Tesla Motors when it reviewed the Tesla Roadster way back in 2008. Jeremy Clarkson's review showed the super-EV conking out after 55 miles of driving (a quarter of its expected range), suffering brake failures and an engine overheat that Elon Musk's company flatly denies ever happening. In the High Court, however, Mr Justice Tugendhat said that people could tell the difference between Clarkson's torturous, heavy-footed "powerrrrrrrrr" driving that goes on at Dunsfold Aerodrome, and the staid manner in which people drive on motorways. Tesla still maintains that the review has damaged its image, which is why it's also pursuing a claim for malicious falsehood, yet to be decided -- and on that bombshell, here's the original, legally non-libelous review for your enjoyment... goodnight!
Wiretapping Act could spell 'finito' for Italian Wikipedia
This week, lawmakers in Italy are debating a controversial new bill that could have disastrous implications for Wikipedia. Yesterday, the encyclopedia posted a lengthy letter on its Italian portal, informing visitors that the site may be shuttered within the country if parliament passes the proposed DDL Intercettazioni, or "Wiretapping Law." If ratified, the legislation would require all online publishers to amend any content considered objectionable or defamatory within 48 hours of receiving a complaint. Offenders would face a fine of €12,000 (about $16,000), and any requested corrections would not be subject to review. Of course, this presents obvious problems for the crowdsourced (and crowd-edited) Wikipedia, which characterized the law as "an unacceptable restriction of [its] freedom and independence." The site took particular umbrage at the bill's apparent disregard for third-party review, pointing out that the "opinion of the person allegedly injured is all that is required" to force a re-write, "regardless of the truthfulness of the information deemed as offensive, and its sources." At the moment, the portal is still up, but masked by Wikipedia's letter. If the Wiretapping Law progresses further, however, the organization says it will have no choice but to delete its Italian platform altogether. [Image courtesy of Toutlecine]
Blogger sued by Evony for defamation, libel
Serve me now, my lord!Blogger Bruce Everiss, author of the website BruceOnGames.com, has been sued by Evony LLC, the company behind the notorious online webgame Evony, formerly Civony. The suit stems from Bruce's Evony coverage and critical stance towards the game, including his assertions that Evony LLC is a company under the WoWmine.org network (a site that is allegedly part of a World of Warcraft gold farming network), his statements concerning the company being based in China, and that their game has infringed on other game IPs, including Civilization and Age of Empires.Evony usually comes under fire for their very transparent marketing strategy, which is usually slapping a hot woman (who has nothing to do with their civilization/empire building MMORTS) onto an ad to entice gamers to click. However, as we posted prior, some bloggers have found some content that was directly ripped off from Civilization and Age of Empires, however the Age of Empires assets have been removed from the current iteration of the game.
