Amazonian Tribe Sues New York Times, TMZ, and Yahoo for Defamation Over Internet Misuse Claims

 A remote Indigenous community in Brazil’s Amazon has filed a defamation lawsuit in a Los Angeles court against The New York Times, TMZ, and Yahoo News, alleging that a series of published reports falsely portrayed the tribe as descending into porn addiction following the introduction of internet access.

According to Courthouse News Service (CNS), the lawsuit was brought by Enoque Marubo, a community leader of the Marubo tribe, along with Brazilian activist Flora Dutra, who was instrumental in providing internet connectivity to the region. The plaintiffs argue that the media coverage was both misleading and damaging.

The Marubo, an Indigenous group of approximately 2,000 people, reside in about two dozen villages scattered throughout Brazil’s remote Javari River Valley. In 2022, they received 20 Starlink satellite internet terminals, which were donated to help improve communication across their isolated settlements.

In 2024, a New York Times reporter and photographer visited the Marubo. Their article, later published by the newspaper, described tribal youth as “glued to their phones” and made references to “minors watching pornography.” The story was subsequently echoed and amplified by other media outlets, including TMZ and Yahoo News, some of which allegedly suggested that the community had become addicted to explicit content.

“The New York Times portrayed the Marubo people as a community unable to handle basic exposure to the internet, highlighting allegations that their youth had become consumed by pornography shortly after receiving access,” the plaintiffs said, as quoted by CNS. They further asserted that the coverage implied “the Marubo people had descended into moral and social decline.”

The lawsuit contends that the reporter and photographer stayed in the village for less than two days—“barely enough time to observe, understand, or respectfully engage with the community.” Despite being invited to spend a full week with the tribe, the media team allegedly cut their visit short, compromising the accuracy and depth of their reporting.

The complaint also addresses the broader consequences of the media attention. Dutra, who was featured in TMZ's coverage delivering Starlink terminals, reportedly received death threats following the story’s release. Her co-founded startup, NAVI Global—which had previously been valued at $3 million—was allegedly forced to shut down due to the fallout.

In response to the controversy, The New York Times later published a follow-up piece titled ‘No, a Remote Amazon Tribe Did Not Get Addicted to Porn’, in which the paper denied making any explicit claims of addiction in its original article.

The plaintiffs are seeking $180 million in total damages, including $100 million in punitive damages, arguing that the publications have caused lasting harm to the reputation and safety of both the Marubo community and those who supported their digital inclusion.