Madison Square Garden filed a defamation lawsuit against Rolling Stone and its parent company over an article claiming the venue maintained a database tracking celebrities' sexual orientation and gender identity. The article was based on hacked data from a ransomware group. MSG denies the allegations, calling the story a false narrative.
Madison Square Garden (MSG) has filed a defamation lawsuit against Rolling Stone and its parent company Advance Magazine Publishers Inc., along with several journalists, over an article published last week that claimed the venue maintained a database tracking hundreds of celebrities' gender identity and sexual orientation.
The article, headlined "Madison Square Garden Kept a List of Gay Celebrities," alleged that MSG Entertainment, which also operates the Chicago Theatre, Radio City Music Hall, and The Beacon Theatre, used a system that tagged stars such as Ricky Martin, Phoebe Bridgers, and Geese's Emily Green as LGBTQIA. The lawsuit, filed in New York state court on Thursday, asserts that the story was fabricated from data stolen by the hacking group ShinyHunters, which breached MSG's systems after the company refused to pay a ransom.
MSG's lawyers argue that Rolling Stone "combed the dark web, obtained data stolen from MSG by an extortionist hacking group, and cherry-picked fragments of that data to manufacture a false narrative portraying MSG as targeting the LGBTQIA community for discriminatory purposes.
" They emphasize that MSG is a fervent supporter of the LGBTQIA community and that the article's implications are entirely false. The original Rolling Stone report, published on July 7, was based on a trove of documents released by ShinyHunters after MSG Entertainment refused to pay a ransom. The hackers had stolen personal information of employees and patrons.
The article revealed that the database assigned a risk score to various celebrities who might attend the arena, ranging from "low risk" to "DO NOT HOST.
" It detailed many music stars on the list, including several of Taylor Swift's wedding guests. According to the story, roughly 100 out of 40,000 individuals on the list were tagged with an LGBTQIA label, though the reason for the label was described as "unclear.
" MSG's lawsuit contends that this element, combined with the sensational headline, created a false implication of surveillance and discrimination against LGBTQIA individuals. The company insists that the database was used for security and operational purposes, not for targeting based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In a statement, Rolling Stone defended its reporting, saying, "We stand by this reporting, and we plan to vigorously defend it against this baseless and ridiculous lawsuit.
We look forward to continuing our coverage of MSG, and on billionaire James Dolan's use of technology across his entertainment empire. It's one part of our wider mission and the critical job of journalists, now more than ever: holding power to account.
" Legal experts note that defamation cases brought by powerful entities like MSG face a high bar under U.S. law. To win, MSG must prove that Rolling Stone's story was not only false but published with actual malice, meaning the publication either knew the story was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. This standard is intentionally difficult to meet to protect free speech and prevent wealthy individuals or corporations from using lawsuits to silence criticism.
The lawsuit also names contributing editor Noah Shachtman, co-author Maddy Varner, and global editorial director Katie Drummond as defendants. MSG is already facing a class-action lawsuit over the hack itself, representing individuals whose personal information was exposed. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for press freedom and the reporting of data breaches.
As the legal battle unfolds, both sides are expected to present arguments about the interpretation of hacked data and the responsibilities of journalists in handling such sensitive information
Please follow us on Google to support usMadison Square Garden Rolling Stone Defamation LGBTQ Database
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Taylor Swift debuts wedding ring in fellow NFL wife Laura Kruk’s wedding picsTaylor Swift sported her huge wedding ring in one of the first images of the pop superstar since she married Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden earlier this month.
Read more »
Eric Stonestreet Says Taylor Swift Madison Square Garden Wedding Gave Guests Privacy and Security Too“I think my favorite moment was just that they created a place that they could have the normalcy that they deserve,” the actor said.
Read more »
Madison Square Garden sues Wired over ‘defamatory’ article alleging creepy surveillance of gay celeb fansWired Magazine used stolen data to falsely accuse Madison Square Garden of creepily surveilling a “list” of gay celeb fans, the entertainment company said in a bombshell lawsuit. In the defamation …
Read more »
And now Madison Square Garden is suing Wired over its surveillance reportingAnd now Madison Square Garden is suing Wired over its surveillance reporting
Read more »