Robby Starbuck Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Meta Over False AI Claims
Written by Rich Ord
Monday, May 5, 2025
The collision between artificial intelligence and the law took a high-profile turn this week as conservative activist Robby Starbuck filed a defamation lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The complaint, filed in Delaware, centers on false and damaging claims generated by Meta’s artificial intelligence about Starbuck—allegations that he says persisted for months and led to real-world harassment and threats.
The controversy highlights a complex new frontier for large technology firms: how to control narratives generated by rapidly evolving AI tools, and who shoulders responsibility when those narratives go awry.
The Origin of a Lawsuit
Starbuck’s case began in August 2024, when he became aware of disconcerting responses about himself generated by Meta’s AI systems. He recounted on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that he learned of the issue when a Harley-Davidson dealership—where he had been a vocal critic of the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies—posted a screenshot from Meta’s AI filled with what he called “lies.” Among the false claims: that Starbuck was a criminal, that he had participated in the January 6th Capitol riot, and, even more seriously, that he had pled guilty to crimes related to January 6th and was a Holocaust denier.
“It also said I was a Holocaust denier and a whole host of other...
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