Can Andy Byron sue Coldplay? What legal experts say about viral kiss cam scandal

Express Tribune

30-07-2025

A viral Facebook rumor that Andy Byron is suing Coldplay over the now-infamous 'kiss cam' incident is gaining traction — but legal experts say such a lawsuit is unlikely to succeed. On July 22, Page Six consulted attorney Camron Dowlatshahi of MSD Lawyers, who explained that while a defamation claim is theoretically possible, it would require Byron to prove that Coldplay frontman Chris Martin acted with malice and knowingly mischaracterized Byron's relationship with Kristin Cabot. Dowlatshahi described the potential suit as 'frivolous,' citing a lack of evidence and the backlash Byron has already faced.
The speculation began with a viral July 26 Facebook post by content creator Maxim Bady, who incorrectly claimed Yahoo News had reported that Byron was preparing legal documents. In truth, Yahoo had only republished articles from other media outlets analyzing the legal possibilities — not reporting any actual legal action. Despite the misleading post, it gained nearly 120,000 reactions and 25,000 comments.
In a separate opinion shared with The Mirror US, Rom Zambrano of West Coast Employment Lawyers echoed Dowlatshahi's stance. He stated Byron has "no grounds" to sue, arguing that Coldplay's use of a kiss cam segment is protected artistic expression. Zambrano added that Byron and Cabot, by engaging in public affection at a live event, waived any right to privacy.
The original incident occurred during Coldplay's July 16 concert at Gillette Stadium, where Byron and Cabot — both then-executives at Astronomer — were shown embracing on the kiss cam. Since then, both have resigned, and no official statement has been made by Byron or his legal representatives. As of now, there are no credible reports confirming a lawsuit against Coldplay.