Zillertal man pays 6,000 euros over Facebook post

A man from the Zillertal had to pay 6,000 euros after sharing a false report about the alleged divorce of Nathalie and René Benko on Facebook, ORF reported. Daniel Thönig from Ried im Zillertal shared the post in March 2025.

The report was published by the online outlet Express. After Thönig shared it, a Vienna law firm sent a letter to his home, his wife Claudia Thönig told ORF Tirol. The couple initially believed the matter would end with the letter, but later received a formal payment demand.

Matthias Kettemann, an internet law expert at the University of Innsbruck, said that users become publishers when they share content on Facebook. Regardless of the original source, they can be held criminally and civilly liable for the information they pass on, he said.

The law firm initially demanded 3,500 euros. When the case went to court, the total amount sought rose to 34,000 euros. The amount depends on factors including the seriousness of the allegation, the information shared and whether a person’s privacy or professional prospects were affected, Kettemann said.

Claudia Thönig said her husband may have shared the post accidentally. However, Kettemann said that an accident was not legally relevant. People must check whether information is accurate before passing it on, he said.

The couple ultimately lost 6,000 euros over the post. Kettemann advised anyone who receives such a payment demand not to ignore it and to seek legal assistance immediately.