According to RT, the Marubo - a native community living in about two dozen remote villages in the Javari River Valley, western Brazil - has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles court.
The lawsuit was filed by community leader Enoque Marubo and Brazilian activist Flora Dutra, against the New York Times, TMZ and Yahoo News, for defamation and related violations.
The lawsuit reads: The New York Times has described the Marubo as a community that cannot control basic Internet exposure, highlighting allegations that young people here are immersed in pornography immediately after being connected to the Internet. The plaintiffs said the statements were "stimulating" and hinted that the Marubo had fallen into a state of moral and social degradation.
The incident originated in 2022, when 20 Starlink satellite Internet receiving devices were donated to the Marubo community, helping to connect remote settlements and open the door to the outside world. However, in 2024, a reporter and photographer from the New York Times visited the Marubo and then published an article describing teenagers who were "attractive to their phones" and had "adolescents watching watching watching sex."
These details were later compiled by sites such as TMZ and Yahoo News, even expressed in the direction that Marubo became addicted to sensitive content.
However, the plaintiff strongly rejected the above describedtions, saying that the New York Times reporter only stayed in the village for less than 2 days, not enough time to observe, understand or interact respectfully with the local community. They emphasized that the article has seriously damaged the honor and image of an entire nation.
In particular, Flora Dutra - who helped bring the Starlink device to the tribe - became the focus of negative reactions. According to the lawsuit, a video posted by TMZ showing her giving away Internet devices to Marubo caused her to receive many life threats and caused the NAVI Global startup co-founder to collapse. Previously, the company was valued at up to $3 million.
Under public pressure, the New York Times reporter then published a supplementary article titled No, a remote Amazon tribe is not addicted to sex. However, the newspaper still affirmed that the original article had never given such a direct affirmation.
According to the CNS, the Marubo and Dutra are seeking a total of $180 million in damages, including a $100 million in deterrent damages.
