Starbuck v. Meta
ROBBY STARBUCK SUES META FOR DEFAMATION OVER FALSE JANUARY 6TH ACCUSATIONS BY META AI
DOVER, DELAWARE — April 28, 2025 — Today, Dhillon Law Group, on behalf of Robby Starbuck, an American filmmaker, journalist, and activist, filed a defamation lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc. (“Meta”) in Delaware Superior Court. The lawsuit alleges that Meta’s artificial intelligence tool, Meta AI, repeatedly published—and continues to publish—provably false and defamatory statements falsely accusing Starbuck of participating in the January 6th Capitol riot and having been arrested for a misdemeanor.
Starbuck, who was at home in Tennessee on January 6, 2021, had never been accused of any crime—let alone the criminal activity Meta AI falsely attributed to him. Despite Starbuck’s direct pleas for Meta to retract and correct the falsehoods, Meta refused to take responsibility. Even after acknowledging receipt of Starbuck’s formal legal demand in August 2024, Meta allowed its AI to continue defaming him for months, eventually expanding the false narrative to include fabricated allegations such as Holocaust denialism and claims that he was unfit to parent his own children.
“This case underscores the profound impact AI wields over Americans’ lives and the urgent need to hold AI companies accountable for recklessly spreading falsehoods,” Krista Baughman, partner at Dhillon Law Group, said. “Through this lawsuit, we aim to establish a precedent for responsible AI development and oversight, safeguarding Mr. Starbuck and all consumers from the devastating consequences of unchecked AI misinformation.”
“Meta’s AI maliciously defamed me, falsely framing me as a criminal and Holocaust denier and even after being notified, Meta continued its character assassination,” Robby Starbuck said. “This nightmare must end. If Meta wants to settle, they must commit to long-term changes to protect everyone from AI-driven defamation. This case draws a clear line: AI must have guardrails. I urge Mark Zuckerberg and Meta’s leadership to search their souls and fix this for the sake of the next generation. They deserve better.”
Meta’s continued publication of these lies has triggered a series of death threats against Starbuck and his family, serious reputational and career harm, and the loss of critical business opportunities. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief to force Meta to remove false information from its AI systems and prevent further harm.
The threat of AI misinformation continues to mount as Meta prepares to expand its AI product offerings to tens of millions of users across the United States
Media Coverage
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