Justin and Hailey Bieber are taking a rare and serious legal stance against social media commentary about their marriage. The superstar couple threatens legal action against a TikTok producer whose viral
videos claimed their relationship is “abusive and unhealthy”. It has apparently sparked a contentious online discussion over celebrity privacy, free speech, and the hazy boundaries between opinion and defamation in the digital age.
According to TMZ, social media user Julie Theis received a cease-and-desist letter from the couple’s attorney, Evan Spiegel, who said she “fabricated” her account of their marriage. The Biebers’ legal team requested that the content be removed and threatened legal action if the author continued to make similar allegations.
What Sparked the Legal Threat
According to legal documents obtained by Billboard and other outlets, Justin and Hailey’s lawyer, Evan Spiegel of Lavely and Singer, wrote a cease-and-desist letter to TikTok creator Julie Theis. This came after she released several videos that explored celebrity marriages, citing the Bieber marriage as a prime illustration of what she called “abusive” and “codependent” dynamics.
This created “a false defamatory narrative concerning our clients and their marriage that was published and widely disseminated,” Spiegel stated, adding that her “conduct is wrongful, highly damaging, actionable, and exposes [her] to substantial liability.”
The legal notification further stated that Theis “acts at her own peril” if she continues the alleged defamatory behaviour and warned that posting such information might subject her to serious consequences. The videos received hundreds of thousands of likes and attention on TikTok and Instagram before being taken down or contested.
TikToker Julie Theis Pushes Back On Free Speech Grounds
The influencer confirmed on social media that she received the cease-and-desist, and claimed that her videos were “clearly opinion-based commentary about relationship dynamics and power” rather than real accusations regarding Justin and Hailey’s personal lives.
Theis addressed continuing discussions about online speech, defamation standards for public figures, and creative freedom on social platforms while insisting that disagreement is not defamation and characterising the legal action as an attempt to “silence and intimidate ” her.
In the footage, she further described the letter as “elitist” and a “temper tantrum of the rich,” saying, “Being offended by people’s opinions does not entitle you to people’s voices.”
Biebers’ Response and Public Reaction
Hailey called online rumours about her and Justin’s marriage “baseless” and officially denied uploading or supporting the controversial videos. The pair, who have been married since 2018 and are currently parents to a young child, have previously endured major fan speculation over their relationship stability.
In response to online accusations, the Biebers’ representatives have called the most recent accusations “exhausting” and emphasised that their family is doing well.
