In a legal battle against online defamation, the K-pop group NewJeans has secured a significant victory as the U.S. District Court in California approved a request to disclose the identity of a YouTuber accused of spreading malicious content against the group.
NewJeans applied to a federal court in California to order Google to disclose the identity of a YouTuber who is spreading false information about them.
— Mark (@MarkJP1008) April 12, 2024
**as of now the user: 중학교 7학년 "Middle7" account has been terminated#NewJeans #뉴진스 pic.twitter.com/OqH7iEHuO6
ADOR, the agency representing NewJeans, filed the request on April 11, citing severe reputational damage caused by the videos in question.
The YouTube account in focus allegedly uploaded numerous videos containing insults and mockery directed at NewJeans, amassing a total of over 13 million views.
According to statements from NewJeans' legal representative, the content not only targeted the group as a whole but also singled out member Minji, exacerbating the harm to their reputation.
"The content includes insults and other mockery directed at NewJeans, causing serious damage to their reputation."
Despite legal actions initiated by ADOR, the YouTuber persisted in posting derogatory materials, further intensifying public scrutiny.
This persistence prompted ADOR to escalate their efforts by seeking judicial intervention to unmask the anonymous account holder behind the damaging videos.
Read also: NewJeans' '2D1N' Guesting Causes the Show's Lowest Rating Ever: 'They're Cute But Not Funny at All'
On April 30, the U.S. District Court ruled in favor of ADOR, granting them access to the identity of the accused YouTuber.
With this crucial information now in hand, ADOR intends to pursue both civil and potentially criminal actions against the individual for defamation and related charges.
This legal development mirrors similar efforts by other K-pop agencies, such as Starship Entertainment, which previously took action against a YouTube channel spreading false information about their artist, Jang Wonyoung from IVE.
IVE Jang Wonyoung vs Sojang: Legal Case Progresses as Controversial YouTuber Did THIS to Fight Back - https://t.co/BjeknTHuFF pic.twitter.com/nHdgx5eM9X
— K-Pop Buzz✪ (@KPop_Buzzz) January 24, 2024
Starship Entertainment's proactive stance aimed to deter future instances of online defamation targeting their talents, setting a precedent that NewJeans now appears poised to follow.
- Someone need to learn life lessons,good job
- like deleting the account can help her get away with this
- This is hybe power, can't be compared with the worst company ever like SM!
- NewJeans, I'm rooting for you
- You know you won't get anything done by doing that, right?
The case underscores the growing challenge posed by online defamation and the steps being taken by entertainment agencies to safeguard their artists' reputations in the digital age.
ALSO READ: BELIFT Lab Slammed For Sexualizing NewJeans in Shocking New Video
Kpopstarz owns this article.
Written by Cassidy Jones.
