Attorney: Yes, you can sue over clickbait stories that use your name

Anyone who has been on the internet knows that people lie. When do fake stories cross the line into legal territory?

Glenn Beck recently noticed an odd clickbait ad that linked to a completely false and arguably defamatory article about HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines, who host the popular show "Fixer Upper." He invited Mike Grygiel of Greenberg Traurig LLP, an attorney specializing in media law, to talk about how the legal system is still catching up to technology.

The article alleged that Joanna was embarking on her own to start a face cream business, concealing it from her husband and starting a rift in their marriage. It even used fake quotes attributed to her to bolster the piece.

“You’re talking libel now,” Pat Gray said.

“There are more lies to follow,” Glenn declared. “This is not just happening to them,” he added, describing another completely fake story about famous names that is used as an ad.

According to Grygiel, these fake articles can be cause for a lawsuit based on the “right of publicity,” which concerns each person’s legally protectable interest in their name, image, likeness and voice.

To see more from Glenn, visit his channel on TheBlaze and listen live to “The Glenn Beck Radio Program” with Glenn Beck, Pat Gray, Stu Burguiere and Jeffy Fisher weekdays 9 a.m.–noon ET on TheBlaze Radio Network.