Tech mogul Elon Musk is facing a lawsuit filed by a Texas resident who claims that a social media post misidentifying him led to harassment and doxing. 22-year-old Ben Brody alleges that he was falsely associated with a brawl between the far-right Proud Boys and a rival group during an Oregon pride event in June. The lawsuit, filed in Travis County, Texas, states that several users accused Brody of being a member of the rival group, Rose City Nationalists.
Conservative user Matt Wallace later posted a photo of an unmasked Rose City Nationalist, identifying him as Brody and accusing him of being a federal agent. Musk responded to the post, saying “Always remove their masks.” Despite Brody’s attempts to debunk the claims and provide evidence that he was not present at the event, Musk did not respond or retract his statements.
Brody and his family allegedly faced threats and harassment as a result of Musk’s posts, and he was also a victim of doxing, where personal information is leaked online. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial in Texas and at least $1 million in damages.