Elon Musk Sued for Defamation in Texas Over Incorrectly Identifying Individual in Protest Incident

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A man from California has filed a defamation lawsuit against Elon Musk, claiming he was subjected to harassment after Musk shared posts on his social media network, X—formerly known as Twitter—which incorrectly associated the man with a clash involving far-right demonstrators. The legal action was initiated on Monday.

The complainant, 22-year-old Benjamin Brody, is being represented by Texas-based lawyer Mark Bankston, who previously secured a defamation victory against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in a case initiated by the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. Brody has requested a jury trial in Austin, Texas, and is seeking unspecified monetary damages, with a minimum threshold of $1 million.

Counsel for Musk did not promptly return messages seeking comment, which were relayed through a company spokesperson.

Earlier this year, a video surfaced on X displaying an altercation involving demonstrators close to an Oregon Pride festival. Some participants were dressed in colors commonly associated with the extremist group Proud Boys, as reported by The Oregonian. Users on X inaccurately identified Brody as one of the individuals involved in the altercation, and utilized his post-academic intentions of working for the government as a basis for unfounded claims that federal agents were implicated.

Screenshots included in the lawsuit show Musk interacting with users who were disseminating the erroneous posts about Brody. In one such interaction, Musk characterized the situation as a “likely false flag scenario.” According to legal documents, Brody, a recent college graduate who attested to being in California at the time of the incident, experienced harassment as a result of Musk’s wide-reaching influence.

As of Monday, Musk’s posts related to the incident remained live on X.

This is not the inaugural instance of Musk facing defamation litigation. In 2019, he successfully defended himself against a defamation suit brought by a British cave diver, who alleged that Musk had labeled him a pedophile via a post on the platform then known as Twitter.

Additionally, Musk’s technology firm has initiated legal action concerning content on its platform. In a notable case from August, X filed a lawsuit against a group of researchers, accusing them of causing a substantial loss in advertising revenue for the company by publicizing a rise in hate speech on the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Defamation Lawsuit against Elon Musk

More about Defamation Lawsuit against Elon Musk

• Defamation Law in Texas
• The Oregonian’s Report on the Protest Incident
• Mark Bankston’s Previous Defamation Cases
• Elon Musk’s 2019 Defamation Case
• Increase in Hate Speech on Social Media Platforms
• Legal Aspects of Social Media Misidentification