Indigenous Tribe in Brazil Sues New York Times

A group of indigenous people in Brazil is taking legal action against the New York Times, claiming a recent article inaccurately portrayed them as addicted to pornography. The Malbo tribe is seeking $180 million in damages.

The community, residing in the remote Habari Valley, alleges that the publication misrepresented them as overly obsessed with technology and pornography following their internet access, as reported by the Guardian.

The lawsuit asserts that the Times suggested the Malbo tribe, consisting of about 2,000 individuals, struggled with the internet. They have also accused the newspaper of spreading false information about the younger generation’s supposed obsession with porn, according to the BBC.

The legal document states, “such portrayals go far beyond cultural commentary. They directly attack the character, morality, and social status of the people as a whole, suggesting that they lack the discipline and values necessary in the modern world.”

Besides the Times, the lawsuit also names TMZ and Yahoo, stating that their coverage has caused embarrassment among tribal youth and has misrepresented cultural traditions. This reporting is said to have harmed their reputation.

The original article noted that nine months after the Marubo tribe got internet access via Starlink, teenagers were reportedly spending time on phones, playing violent video games, and engaging with misleading social media content, including scams and pornography.

Tribal leaders expressed particular concern about the impact of pornography, reporting an increase in violent sexual behavior among young men.

While the initial article mentioned pornography as a factor, other media outlets, like TMZ, are accused of amplifying this narrative through sensationalist headlines.

The lawsuit emphasizes that videos inaccurately depicted the Malbo tribe as having lost their morality due to the internet. Reports suggest that over 100 websites worldwide have perpetuated misleading claims about the Marubo developing a porn addiction.

The lawsuit gained attention when it was mentioned that the fallout from the article extended beyond societal perceptions and disrupted important cultural and institutional projects.

A week after the original piece, the New York Times published a follow-up article with the headline “No, Remote Amazon Tribes Are Not Engrossed with Porn.”