BBC fights Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over VPN jurisdiction limits
The BBC has filed a motion to dismiss Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit, arguing that 34 unauthorized Florida streams accessed via VPNs cannot grant a U.S. court jurisdiction over British content.
The BBC is set to challenge Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit regarding a 2024 documentary about his 2024 reelection campaign. The lawsuit alleges the documentary maliciously edited Trump's January 6, 2021 speech to incite violence. However, the BBC asserts the case hinges on a legal issue surrounding virtual private networks (VPNs).
The corporation argues that penalizing broadcasters for viewers bypassing geo-blocks could have massive implications. Trump's legal team claims jurisdiction over the Florida court due to 34 unauthorized play-starts initiated by just 10 users using a VPN to bypass the BBC's strict geo-blocking measures. The BBC contends validating this legal strategy would open Pandora's box for foreign companies, potentially forcing them to cut off international access or invest heavily in geo-blocking technology to avoid the risk of multi-billion-dollar lawsuits.
The judge has yet to rule on the motion to dismiss, with the defamation suit set for a two-week trial in February 2027.
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