Buzzfeed Sued Over Fake News Coverage
Online news site BuzzFeed is being sued for publishing fake news in the form of a Russian dossier about Donald Trump and the hacking of the US election. Tech firm XBT Holdings, owned by Russian tech magnate Aleksej Gubarev, is suing Buzzfeed, its editor in chief, Ben Smith, and a former British intelligence agent for defamation in a court in Florida. Mcclatchydc.com reports: “The dossier included libelous, unverified and untrue allegations regarding XBT, Webzilla and Gubarev. The lawsuits seek yet undetermined compensation for the damages suffered by XBT, Webzilla and Gubarev as the result of the publication of the dossier,” a statement said. New York-based BuzzFeed Inc., which published the dossier in full on Jan. 10, wasn’t alone. Former spy Christopher Steele and his company Orbis Business Intelligence in London were named as defendants in the London suit. In a statement to McClatchy, BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenthal said Friday night, “We have redacted Mr. Gubarev’s name from the published dossier, and apologize for including it.” Steele is a former British intelligence agent who conducted opposition research on behalf of Trump’s political opponents from both major U.S. parties. The dossier, which was shared privately with reporters, lawmakers and law enforcement, exploded into the national [...]
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