HYBE‘s attempt to uncover the identity of an X (formerly known as Twitter) user who allegedly spread harmful rumors about their artists has hit a legal roadblock in the United States.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California recently rejected HYBE’s request to disclose personal information about user @guiltyarchive.
The issue began when guiltyarchive allegedly circulated false claims on X, such as linking LE SSERAFIM to the disbandment of GFRIEND and suggesting that BTS‘s debut venue (Ilji Art Hall) had connections to “Danworld.”
In response, HYBE filed a defamation complaint with the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul. However, identifying the individual behind the account proved challenging because Twitter’s headquarters are based in the U.S.
LE SSERAFIM | Luis Vuitton
To overcome this hurdle, HYBE sought to use the U.S. legal system’s discovery process, which allows for the exchange of evidence and documents before a trial. This process can also compel third parties to provide relevant information, but ultimately, the decision rests with the judge.
In HYBE’s case, Judge Vince Chhabria acknowledged that HYBE’s request met the necessary requirements but still chose not to approve the disclosure. The judge expressed concerns about private individuals’ misuse of the U.S. legal system to obtain personal information and emphasized that criminal investigations should be conducted by law enforcement agencies, not victims.
The court noted that there was no evidence of any action taken by Korean police regarding HYBE’s complaint. Judge Chhabria added that if Korean authorities were to request information disclosure, the process could proceed under the treaty between the U.S. and Korea.
While HYBE’s request was denied, other entertainment companies like Starship Entertainment and ADOR have successfully used similar methods to obtain information about malicious YouTubers. Starship is currently engaged in legal proceedings against Sojang, while ADOR has yet to take legal action against Middle7.