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Almost a year after undertaking legal action against YouTube over bitcoin scams with his involvement, Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak has lost the case. The Supreme Court Judge said the video-sharing platform and its parent company Google were protected by federal law.
Wozniak Lost BTC Scam Case Against YouTube
As CryptoPotato reported in mid-2020, Apple’s co-founder decided to act against YouTube after numerous scams with his involvement. More specifically, bad actors impersonated Wozniak and promoted false bitcoin giveaways on YouTube, which targeted countless victims.
Wozniak hired the law firm Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy to open a lawsuit against the world’s largest video-sharing platform. He argued that YouTube has not only failed to halt these frauds but also “materially contributed” to the scams by selling targeted ads driving traffic.
However, Santa Clara Country Superior Court Judge Sunil Kulkarni ruled in favor of YouTube and its parent company Google on Wednesday. The Judge said that the video-sharing platform is protected by federal law shielding internet platforms from responsibility for content posted by users.
Furthermore, Judge Kulkarni noted that Wozniak’s arguments were not enough to overcome the immunity provided by Section 230. Nevertheless, Apple’s co-founder has 30 days to try to revise his case.
It’s worth noting that Wozniak is far from the only celebrity involved in such scams. Some of the other famous names impersonated by scammers included Elon Musk, Kanye West, and Bill Gates.
Ripple’s Fight Against YouTube
The blockchain-based payment processor also went against YouTube as its CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, was impersonated on multiple occasions in false XRP giveaways.
Their lawsuit ended in March as both parties settled the issues without disclosing further details. While admitting that the settlement terms are confidential, Garlinghouse outlined YouTube’s desire to take action against the growing threat of such scams.
He asserted at the time that both sides have come to a mutual understanding to fight these frauds. Furthermore, Ripple’s forensics team also pledge to help detect and track stolen funds.