Social media platforms have emerged as one of the most powerful communication tools in the past few years – whether for personal or business causes. It shaped the whole process of how online users interact and provided more freedom of speech. Yet, navigating through this wide environment still requires an understanding of specific laws and a commitment to online community responsibilities, as we see through many examples of social media defamation cases in the Supreme Court.
In this article, we will mention some common real-life examples and also discuss the legal implications associated with false statements in the digital realm.
Types of Social Media Defamation Claims
Unlike spoken communication, common social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and more offer various methods and content for users to engage with each other. People can share photos and videos or share their thoughts through short texts, and others engage through likes, shares, views, and comments.
That, in order to grow their social media accounts organically, many users purchase growth metrics from reliable providers. In fact, many successful TikTok influencers boost their accounts with Views4You – a provider that delivers views from real people who are genuinely interested in your content.
Yet, when they purchase spam engagement or come across negative users, people who are defamed online, usually public figures, often get attacked through:
- A defamatory comment on Instagram photos.
- Post published on an individual X (Twitter) account.
- False statement about a Facebook page managed by a business owner.
- Inappropriate elements posted on a Facebook group.
- Comments under YouTube or TikTok videos.
As all those actions cause mental anguish and damage the victim’s reputation, they go for an online defamation lawsuit.
Defamation Lawsuit Cases
Due to the false and defamatory statement content on social media sites – especially towards famous celebrities and figures – there have been many cases that the US court has investigated. Here are some of them:
The Social Media Defamation Claim of Hans Niemann
You have probably heard of the 19-year-old chess grandmaster who caused a stir by defeating Magnus Carlsen in a 2022 tournament. That’s Hans Niemann.
However, his win didn’t sit right with everyone as Carlsen later accused Niemann of cheating on Twitter, yet he provided no evidence.
Eventually, Niemann decided to pursue legal action and filed a $100 million lawsuit for defamatory statements against Carlsen, Chess.com, and Hikaru Nakamura, who also joined this argument, alleging that these false claims severely impacted his career and personal life.
Additionally, even though Niemann admitted to past cheating on Chess.com when he was younger, the Missouri court dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, leaving room for the potential to refile.
Social Media Defamation Lawsuit of Cardi B
After a three-year legal battle, Cardi B won her $4 million defamation suit against YouTuber Tasha K. The popular rapper sued the YouTuber for untrue statements on the social media platform about drug use, prostitution, and parenting, securing $1.3 million in legal fees.
Tasha K.’s failed evidence attempts revealed her admission of spreading defamatory content, impacting not only a person’s reputation but also leading to cyber harassment towards a public figure.
In the end, the jury held Tasha K. liable for slander, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. Thus, media channels claimed this victory displayed the power of the law against cyber defamation caused by social media users.
Defamation Claim: False Statement of Dan Gryder
Another widely known defamation case belongs to Dan Gryder. The YouTube aircraft analyst faced a more than $1 million defamation judgment in favor of Charles Cook. The defamation lawsuits centered on Gryder’s accusatory videos about Cook’s Texas airport activities.
Gryder’s legal challenges, including the withdrawal of the defamation attorney, left him unrepresented at the hearing. Cook initiated the lawsuit, challenging Gryder’s defamatory remarks, whereas Gryder defended the videos as free speech.
Terms You Need to Know to Understand Defamatory Statements
If you want to have a better understanding of defamation cases, you need to know specific terms, which include:
Defamation: Basically, it refers to any false accusation, including pornographic or legal issues, that harms the reputation of an individual and is considered defamation.
Defamation Lawyer: The attorney who specializes in defamation cases.
Online Defamation: Defamatory statement published on online sites or social media networks through digital content and comments. These defamation claim cases often affect internet providers as well. However, in most situations, the federal court focuses on the individual who shared the post instead of blaming the internet service provider or the platform.
Defamatory Posts: Negative posts shared on digital platforms that damage the plaintiff’s reputation.
Defamation Lawsuit: The legal action the victim takes against what is considered defamatory actions that potentially harm the person. In order to win them, the victim has to prove that the defendant acted with actual malice and bad intentions.
Cyber Libel Lawsuit: A lawsuit of cyber libel is the action taken against written or published online defamation statements.
False Statement: A statement that is untrue and often damages someone’s reputation, whether they are a public figure or an average person.
Communications Decency Act: Internet legislation that provides some protection to Internet service providers from liability for content posted by users so people do not claim defamation against the platform.
Federal Law: It refers to the body of laws a government or a country creates.
Civil Wrong: It is a legal term that refers to a wrongful act that causes harm.
FAQs about Online Defamation
Here are the commonly asked questions about the defamation law and cases:
What Do You Need to Do If You Are a Victim of Online Defamation?
If you’re a victim of online defamation and want to seek justice, it’s best to provide evidence so you don’t face negative consequences yourself or reckless disregard that constitutes defamation. You can save screenshots, send evidence preservation letters to your lawyer, and also ask a reasonable person to be your witness.
What is the Legal Punishment for Online Defamation?
The penalty might vary depending on the defamation case. The person might need to make a specific payment or face prison punishment.
How Long Does the Trial Last for Social Media Defamation?
It once again depends on the case. There are those that last less than a year or more than 3 years.
