COURT BATTLE

Creator of Infamous ‘Shitty Media Men’ List Fails to Get Libel Suit Tossed

Moira Donegan argued she didn’t add New Orleans writer Stephen Elliott to the list, and didn’t add details about his alleged sexual assaults.

The Brooklyn writer who started an anonymous Google spreadsheet on which women could warn each other of predators in the media industry has lost an attempt to have a libel suit thrown out. New Orleans writer Stephen Elliott sued Moira Donegan for defamation after his name appeared on the “shitty media men” list along with allegations of rape, sexual harassment and “coercion.” Donegan later admitted she created the list that roiled the industry at the start of the #MeToo movement—but she said she didn’t add Elliott. Her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, argued the case should be tossed due to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the law that shields online companies and users from being sued for hosting or republishing unlawful content from third parties. U.S. District Court Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ruled Donegan failed to prove she is entitled to use Section 230, and failed to prove she didn’t encourage others to add unlawful content to the list. The matter will likely head to trial.