Graham Norton has won a US court case against Meta, compelling the tech giant to reveal the source behind a series of deeply upsetting Facebook posts. The Irish comedian and broadcaster took legal action in California to obtain documents from Meta to identify the operator of the Westminster Wire Facebook page.
False Claims and Distress
According to Norton, the Westminster Wire published false claims, including reports of his ill health and his mother's death, causing him very significant alarm, distress, and anxiety. Norton, originally from Bandon, Ireland, told the court: My 94-year-old mother uses Facebook and has been confronted with reports of her own death. He added that he has been forced to debunk fake news after friends read false accounts of his ill health and that of his husband.
Legal Proceedings
The Bafta-winning comedian now plans to commence legal proceedings in the High Court in England against those responsible for the account. Court filings reveal the account operates anonymously but posts multiple times a day. Norton stated: In order to bring proceedings, I must first identify those responsible. Without this information, I am unable to bring my claim or obtain the injunctive relief I urgently need to stop the ongoing harassment.
The filings noted that Norton was targeted with fabricated statements and AI-generated images placing him in false scenarios, as well as false attributions of offensive, racist, or deeply objectionable views. Norton told the court: I have not been hospitalised. I have not donated money to the causes described. I do not hold and have never expressed the racist, xenophobic, anti-immigrant or otherwise divisive and hateful views attributed to me by the account.
Reputation at Stake
He added: My professional reputation is of the utmost importance to my career and livelihood. I rely on my reputation as a broadcaster and public figure whose views are well-known to the public, my employers, and my commercial partners. Norton is best known for The Graham Norton Show, as well as roles in Father Ted and as a judge on Ru Paul's Drag Race, and hosting the BBC's Eurovision coverage.
Meta's Policies
Meta requires users to disclose and label photorealistic or realistic-sounding synthetic media, and highly deceptive AI content is penalised or removed. An account publishing fake news is likely barred under Meta's Inauthentic Behaviour and Misinformation policy. The Standard has contacted Graham Norton and Meta for comment.
