SOME CONTENT CREATORS NEED A VERY EXPENSIVE REMINDER THAT FREEDOM OF SPEECH DOES NOT MEAN FREEDOM FROM CONSEQUENCES.
Some of us understand the difference between exposing wrongdoing, expressing an opinion, and crossing the line into defamation. Clearly, not everyone does.
For those who don’t, I’d strongly suggest paying attention to this $2.8 MILLION lesson.
A federal judge ordered YouTuber Ben Armstrong to pay Kevin O’Leary $2,828,000 after Armstrong repeatedly accused him of murder, claimed he covered it up, and published his private phone number while encouraging followers to harass him.
$2 MILLION of that award was punitive damages alone.
This was a default judgment, and the judge denied Armstrong’s attempt to have it set aside.
Having a platform doesn’t make you immune from accountability. And labeling an accusation as an “opinion” doesn’t magically make it legally protected.
I’ve attached excerpts from the actual federal court filings.
Read them. Know the difference. Because words have consequences, and ignorance of defamation law isn’t a defense.