BuzzFeed is seeking the dismissal of an eight-figure defamation lawsuit it has been embroiled in since January.
The lawsuit was filed by British journalist Michael Leidig and his news service Central European News, with the claim that an April 2015 BuzzFeed story damaged his reputation and that of his company. Leidig alleges that the article tangibly hurt his business and is asking for BuzzFeed to pay just over $11 million, as well as punitive damages.
Leidig says BuzzFeed's story lost Central European News clients and caused a drop in monthly sales. He also argued that, as a result of the story, the company missed out on "a high-six-figure investment that had been under discussion for many months".
BuzzFeed’s retort to the suit is that the Buzzfeed story’s claims that CEN-produced stories are often “inaccurate or downright false” are “substantially true.” The site continues that Leidig and his company "have not been adversely affected in any way by the Article” and that it should not be charged for sharing "non-actionable statements of opinion".
BuzzFeed has demanded that the suit be dismissed by Leidig. In the event that it moves forward, they request for a jury trial "of all issues triable by jury".
