Elon Musk says he was just being hyperbolic when he called a Thai cave diver 'pedo guy'
Remember when Tesla CEO Elon Musk repeatedly accused a diver of being a pedophile with absolutely no evidence? He's now looking to dismiss a defamation lawsuit, arguing he was only joking.
Musk is being sued by Vern Unsworth, one of the divers who helped rescue the Thai soccer players who were trapped in a cave over the summer. Musk on Twitter had baselessly attacked Unsworth as being a pedophile, referring to him as a "pedo guy." He did so after Unsworth called Musk's talk of rescuing the boys using a submarine a "PR stunt."
In new court filings, Musk's lawyers argue that no "reasonable reader" would take Musk's "over-the-top insults" as fact or evidence that he had "private knowledge" about Unsworth, especially because the two were in the middle of a "schoolyard spat" on a "social networking website infamous for invective and hyperbole," BuzzFeed's Ryan Mac reports. The lawyers conclude Musk's "imaginative attacks" reflect his personal opinion and are thus subject to First Amendment protections.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Musk had also made his accusations against Unsworth outside of Twitter, claiming in an interview with BuzzFeed that he is a "child rapist." He added, "I f---ing hope he sues me."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 2, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - anti-fascism, early voter turnout, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
FTC bans fake online product reviews
Speed Read The agency will enforce fines of up to $51,744 per violation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
States sue TikTok over children's mental health
Speed Read The lawsuit was filed by 13 states and Washington, D.C.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Amazon ending 'Just Walk Out' grocery checkout
Speed Read In its place, the company will let customers scan while they shop with Amazon Dash Cart
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justice Department bites Apple with iPhone suit
Speed Read The lawsuit alleges that the tech company monopolized the smartphone industry
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
House votes to force TikTok to sell or face US ban
speed read The House passed a bill to ban TikTok on national security grounds unless it sells to a non-Chinese company
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Apple kills its secret electric car project
Speed Read Many of the people from Project Titan are being reassigned to work on generative AI
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cellphone use may be lowering sperm count
Speed Read Electromagnetic radiation could be affecting male fertility
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Nasa reveals first findings from asteroid that could explain origins of life
Speed Read Sample from Bennu has been found to contain an abundance of water and carbon
By Jamie Timson, The Week UK Published