2019 March 13

Ayotte v. Chiaramonte, 2019 QCCS 851

The Quebec Superior Court awarded $15,000 moral damages and $10,000 punitive damages to the plaintiff personal trainor against the defendant G over the latter’s defamatory Instagram video posts which made serious allegations of misconduct.  The Court held that the defendants “made a concerted effort to ensure the maximum exposure and damage possible to [the plaintiff’s] reputation and career.” Together, the defendants had 65,000 followers on their Instagram accounts.   The Court noted the plaintiff relied on social media and in particular Instagram and Facebook to build his own business and to increase his clientele but was unable to identify specific income loss.  The defendant G was ordered to retract her statements on her Instagram account.