Blake Lively is facing continued backlash over her legal drama involving online creators. Despite the Gossip Girl alum recently backing down from efforts to obtain private information from several journalists and online influencers, one YouTuber, Lauren Neidigh, is still pushing back.
According to Daily Mail, Neidigh, who is known online as LethalLauren904, has now asked a judge for a protective order against Lively, even after the actress formally withdrew her subpoena request over the weekend. Neidigh fears that Lively could refile the subpoena in the future as part of an ongoing legal dispute with actor-director Justin Baldoni.
In a letter obtained by the publication, Neidigh expressed concerns about the potential long-term implications of Lively’s legal actions. “Lively’s subpoena targeted creators who have expressed unfavorable opinions about her online,” Neidigh wrote. “It served to intimidate, harass, chill constitutionally protected free speech, and threaten the safety and privacy of non-parties who are not involved in this litigation.”
Neidigh further argued that Blake Lively’s subpoena was “not supported by any evidence” and criticized the actress’s legal team for being “largely unresponsive,” adding that they failed to explain how her personal data could be relevant to the case.
While Lively withdrew subpoenas targeting Neidigh and two other independent creators, Neidigh maintains that the situation is not fully resolved. “There is still an ongoing threat of further abusive discovery requests,” Neidigh wrote, emphasizing that such tactics could be used to “intimidate” her for exercising her First Amendment rights.
The legal battle, which initially sparked public outcry over privacy concerns, has raised significant questions about the limits of legal action against online creators and the potential for such actions to infringe on free speech. The case continues to unfold, with Neidigh seeking to protect her rights amid the controversy.