Judge Peter Russin has ordered Jack Owoc, the founder of Bang Energy, to pay a total of $63,517 in relation to a series of Instagram posts that he had authored. The posts in question disparaged company advisers involved in the sale of energy drink brand Bang to its competitor, Monster Beverage Corp.
Owoc’s social media posts, shared via the @BangEnergy.CEO Instagram account, were referred to by Judge Russin as nothing less than a ‘rant’. The concern was that these posts not only brought into question the integrity of the bankruptcy sale process but also posed a risk to the continued operations of Bang’s business. Owoc’s posts, which have since been deleted, were made following his dismissal from the position of Bang Energy’s CEO in March. The exact details of the disparaging content have not been detailed.
Speaking on October 11, 2023, Judge Russin also made it clear in his court filing that such behaviour would not be accepted. He expressed the belief that the public figure’s misuse of social media had the potential to cause considerable harm to the brand’s reputation and commercial success.
From this case, it can be seen that the misuse of social media platforms can result in significant legal and financial ramifications, even for high-ranking individuals within a corporation. The situation serves as a potent reminder for legal professionals, advising them to ensure their clients are aware of the potential risks and responsibilities that come with publicly expressing personal or professional grievances on social media platforms.
More details on the case can be found at the original article from Bloomberg Law.