Four thousand five hundred messages later, Instagram content creator, Emily Gellis got the response she probably never thought would slide into her DMs…a $500,000 defamation lawsuit by F-Factor diet creator Tanya Zuckerbrot.
The Parties
The Plaintiff, Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, is an internationally-known dietitian, a two-time bestselling author, and the creator and CEO of the renowned F-Factor Diet—a liberating and sustainable approach to weight loss and optimal health based on scientifically proven fiber-rich nutrition.
The Defendant, Emily Gellis, 34, an Instagram content creator,, known for “The Snap Stylist” fashion, beauty, and travel-based Instagram account. She has over 207,000 followers. She goes by the Instagram handle @emilygellis.
What is F-Factor?
The F-Factor diet is a weight loss plan that advocates for eating carbs, dining out, drinking alcohol, and working out less.
F-Factor also has a line of Fiber/Protein powders and bars, which are what Gellis claimed contain arsenic.
The Facts (Allegedly)
Pursuant to the Complaint, filed in New York State Court, the timeline of Gellis’ alleged behavior and online bullying began on July 22, 2020 and continues over a 75-day period.
Gellis, 34, is who pursuant to the legal complaint, has allegedly shared and anonymously re-shared messages on her Instagram profile, claiming that the F-Factor diet program causes intestinal damage, heart attacks, and death. Basically, Gellis was running her mouth saying that the protein bars contained arsenic. Zuckerbrot claims any and all rumors related to that are false.
Zuckerbrot’s lawyers say that her husband Anthony Westreich contacted Facebook, the owners of Instagram, claiming that Gellis had violated the company’s community standards. But “despite extensive efforts by Zuckerbrot and F-Factor, no action was taken to remedy or cease the continued abuse,” the lawsuit states.
But are you really surprised? Instagram via Facebook almost never addresses these very real harms that it visibly encourages simply due to its inaction to get involved in “free speech.”
New York Defamation Law
Under New York Law the law, defamation lawsuits are pretty difficult to win, primarily due to the insufficient proof of showing both “falsehood” and damages. To bring a defamation claim under New York law, the complainant must show that a (1) false statement was (2) published to a 3rd party (3) without privilege or authorization (4) with fault amounting to at least negligence, and (5) that caused special harm or defamation per se
Specifically, the false and defamatory statement about another person must be published/shared with a third party that does not include the person subject of those statements. The “damage” is that the person has been defamed and as a result, treated differently by society.
This usually occurs through slander, or spoken statements, and libel, which are written statements.
What’s the Point?
Accountability. Plain and simple.
Today, it is readily apparent that these social media platform companies cause enormous and serious financial and emotional harm to third-party individuals and businesses, and despite the Terms of Service, don’t have the time to actually work with users.
If anything, they are no different than the aggressors themselves, to an extent, for blatantly turning a blind eye to the behavior and relying solely on an infant algorithm that has no legitimacy for truly addressing online bullying and defamation.
Unless you’re Donald Trump.
For more information on the lawsuit, you can email Andrew at andrew@rossowlaw.com.
