Tribe Sues NYT for Defamation Over Internet Addiction Claims

A lawsuit claims the New York Times defamed the Marubo tribe, depicting them as overwhelmed by internet access and fueling false narratives.

An Indigenous community from the Amazon rainforest, the Marubo tribe, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times (NYT), asserting that a recent report has led to detrimental labels suggesting its members are addicted to pornography. The tribal plaintiffs argue that the article, which discussed their increased access to high-speed internet through Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink service, portrayed them as incapable of handling basic internet exposure and sparked a media frenzy that mischaracterized their culture.

The NYT's coverage, released shortly after the tribe gained high-speed connectivity, claimed the Marubo were facing challenges common in American households such as “teenagers glued to phones” and minors engaged with violent video games and pornography. This narrative allegedly painted them as a community struggling with technology, resulting in outrage and ridicule from various news platforms including TMZ and Yahoo, who were also named in the lawsuit for sensationalizing the story and mocking the youth of the tribe.

Seeking $180 million in damages, the Marubo tribe, with around 2,000 members, argues that the initial NYT article directly contributed to the spread of false claims about their members' behavior. They contend that the report triggered a "global media storm," leading to humiliation and reputational harm for community leaders like Enoque Marubo and Brazilian activist Flora Dutra, who had facilitated the distribution of the satellite antennas within the community.

In response to the outcry, the New York Times later published a follow-up piece aimed at clarifying the situation with the headline: “No, A Remote Amazon Tribe Did Not Get Addicted to Porn.” However, the lawsuit claims that the original portrayal left a lasting negative impact, asserting that other media outlets inaccurately emphasized their internet struggles, perpetuating myths about the Marubo people's ability to embrace technology.

A spokesperson for the NYT defended the article, describing it as a thoughtful examination of the complexities and advantages of modern technology as it interacts with traditional cultures. The newspaper intends to robustly contest the allegations laid out in the lawsuit as it seeks to uphold the legitimacy of its reporting.