A British man has filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States, accusing an online wiki user of making false and damaging statements about him. Oliver D. Smith, acting as his own attorney, filed the complaint on November 24, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina against Jonathan Kane.
The case centers around accusations made by Jonathan Kane on the website Rational Wiki under the pseudonym “Tetrapteryx.” According to Smith’s complaint, Kane accused him of creating “attack pages” and impersonating him on multiple websites. These statements were allegedly made public on January 17, 2025, and have since caused significant harm to Smith’s reputation. The plaintiff claims that these accusations led to unsolicited emails, threats, and abusive messages directed at him. As a result of this online harassment, Smith reported the matter to Hertfordshire Constabulary in the UK as a criminal complaint for malicious communications.
Smith argues that Kane’s statements are defamatory per se—meaning they are inherently libelous without needing further proof of harm—because they subject him to disgrace and ridicule. The statement is easily accessible online and has been read by many individuals who have subsequently questioned Smith about these allegations. Furthermore, Smith asserts that he is not a public figure and that there is no public interest in the subject matter of Kane’s statement.
In his lawsuit, Smith seeks $100,000 in compensatory damages for harm to his reputation and emotional distress. He also demands that Kane delete the defamatory statement from Rational Wiki and publicly admit its falsehood. Despite these serious allegations and requests for relief, Smith has opted not to request a jury trial.
Representing himself pro se in this legal battle, Oliver D. Smith maintains that his complaint is grounded in factual evidence and existing law or presents a nonfrivolous argument for changing current law. He assures compliance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 by certifying that his filing is not intended for any improper purpose such as harassment or unnecessary litigation costs.
The case has been assigned Case No. 1:25-cv-00420-MR-WCM with Judge Martin Reidinger presiding over it. As both parties prepare their arguments for court proceedings ahead—without involvement from external attorneys—the outcome remains uncertain but could set an important precedent regarding online defamation claims involving international plaintiffs.
Source: 125cv00420_Smith_v_Kane_Complaint_Western_District_North_Carolina.pdf
