Koch Industries, Inc. v. John Does 1-25

A federal court in Utah dismissed the lawsuit. In its decision, the court held that the company could not disclose the identities of any of the members of the organization, Youth for Climate Truth, that had put out the fake news release. In addition, the court held that the company’s trademarks had not been violated because there was no commercial competition between it and Youth for Climate Truth. It also dismissed the company’s claim that the copying of its website violated anti-computer hacking laws and the terms of use it posted.

Koch Industries filed a lawsuit seeking to punish anonymous pranksters who claimed in a fake press release posted on the internet that it was discontinuing funding to climate denial groups. The lawsuit alleged that defendants issued the fake press release and set up a fake website with the intent to deceive and confuse the public and to disrupt and harm Koch Industries’ business and reputation, and that as a result the company’s business and reputation were harmed.