Huffington Post Bloggers Lose Class Action Lawsuit

U.S. District Judge John Koeltle dismissed the bloggers’ class action lawsuit against Huffington Post and its parent company, AOL, Inc., ruling that the Huffington Post doesn’t have to pay bloggers for providing content for its website. Koeltle said part of his decision was based on the fact that the bloggers knew from the start they wouldn’t be paid and could have taken their work elsewhere.

The bloggers sued Huffington Post last year after it was purchased by AOL for $315 million. The bloggers sought class action status, arguing that they website unjustly denied them compensation and profited from their work, promising only exposure. They were seeking at least $105 million in damages.

AOL argued that the bloggers gained exposure and a place to attract a big audience in exchange for the unpaid content.

The lead Plaintiff in the case, blogger Jonathan Tasini, said his legal team is considering appealing the dismissal.