Court REJECTS HYBE's Request To Reveal Identity Of Twitter User Defaming BTS And LE SSERAFIM

court rejects hybe's request to reveal identity of twitter user defaming bts and le sserafim

HYBE had filed an appeal to the US District Court to help reveal the identity of a Twitter user who had made numerous derogatory posts against BTS and LE SSERAFIM. However, the court has rejected HYBE's appeal.

US court blocks HYBE's bid to sue BTS, LE SSERAFIM anti-fan

On July 1, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California rejected HYBE's request to disclose personal information about X (formerly known as Twitter) user @guiltyarchive.

For the unversed, HYBE had filed a defamation complaint about the Twitter user with the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul after they allegedly circulated false claims such as LE SSERAFIM were the reason behind GFRIEND's disbandment, BTS are connected to a cult and more. However, identifying the individual behind the account was a challenge as X's headquarters are based in the Unites States. To find the individual, HYBE sought to use the U.S. legal system's discovery process, which can compel third parties to provide relevant information before a trial. However, ultimately, the decision rests with the judge.

In HYBE's case, Judge Vince Chhabria acknowledged HYBE's request had met the requirements. However, the judge chose not to approve the disclosure. The were concerned about U.S. legal system getting misused and emphasized that criminal investigations should be conducted by law enforcement firms and not victims.

The judge also stated that there was no evidence that action had been taken by the South Korean police regarding HYBE's complaint. As per the court, if South Korean police had asked to disclose the real identity, the appeal could have proceeded given the treaty between both countries.