Judge Refuses to Order YouTube to Remove Anti-Muslim Video
A Los Angeles judge has refused to order YouTube to remove an anti-Muslim video in a suit by an actress who claims she was duped into appearing in the film.
Judge Luis Lavin refused to grant a temporary restraining order on Thursday, report the Wall Street Journal Speakeasy blog, the New York Times Media Decoder blog, CNN and the Associated Press.
Lavin said actress Cindy Lee Garcia had been unable to serve the film producer, and she had not produced an agreement with the filmmakers. The judge also said federal law protects websites such as YouTube that post third-party content.
YouTube has blocked the video in some countries but not in the United States. It has sparked protests across the Middle East.
Garcia claims the ad seeking actors for Innocence of Muslims described it as an adventure film about ancient Egyptians, but the script was rewritten and her dialogue altered after the fact with anti-Islamic voice-overs. Her suit against Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, also known as Sam Bacile, alleges fraud, slander and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Garcia’s lawyer plans to sees a preliminary injunction.
