Amber Heard - trial by social media

[DysmalRadius]

I have to admit, I haven't been following this case, but what little I do know about it has been filtered through the prism of social media and I have noticed that Facebook seems to be serving me a LOT of pro-Johnny Depp stories. I've already seen a couple this week (from film-based sites that I do not follow, coming up as 'suggested for you') and have just had another.

I am not a huge film fan, so have never interacted with these film sites, but they are coming up in my feed regularly now, including one page (I just blocked it at the time as it was one of the first) that included a long rant about how 'If these accusations were made about a man, everyone would be crying abuse'.

As I say, I'm not really following the case, but I am finding it sinister how there seems to be a paid PR campaign to promote Johnny's innocence in the wider world, presumably paving the way for him to return to Hollywood relatively unscathed once the dust settles and the trial is over. Am I only just noticing this now or is this becoming a more common method of manipulating the public over relatively trivial (compared to elections, covid misinformation etc) matters?

Without following the case you cannot assume anything about what any of it means really

My point about not following the case was that the algorithms that usually serve up posts based on other things you have read can't be using any of my other browsing data to determine which 'side' I am on (or even that I am interested in the case), but seem to have decided that I am only to see pro-Johnny posts. Hence wondering if there is more to it than just 'news' stories coming up.

I've seen them too. I haven't followed it either. I assume he has a social media savvy PR firm on the case. I feel sorry for the woman involved, regardless of whats happened, she'll struggle to get on with her life thanks to the internet mobs.

There was a trial by social media in the other direction after the divorce / sold recordings and op-ed.

They both have PR teams and cancel culture has come for both of them. Social media isn't pretty and has a crowd / bandwagon mentality. I stay off it for the most part. Amber Heard fired her PR team this week and hired a new one. Not sure what they can do at this point.

It is really disgusting.

My dd14 came out and said that Johnny is the 'victim' and she had seen it all on tiktok

There was no understanding whatsoever of what has happened to Amber, the realities of her domestic violence situation and the terrible things that have happened to her.
Depp has for sure mobilised his millions and the PR attack against Heard is in full flow.

If Depp was anyone else he would have been locked up a long time ago.

I have to admit I had not idea how abusive JD was until I started reading about the case a bit more in depth. His PR has definitely crafted this image of poor man victim of an abusive gold digger.

The way he spoke about AH and his ex wife Vanessa Paradis is appalling and so violent. There is documented abuse from him that is simply ignored, he kicked her on a flight before passing out drunk in the toilet. He burned her with cigarettes and was recorded doing so. Smashed hotel rooms and cut his own finger then blamed her. He lost his case against the Sun as he was found to be an abuser.

The amount of fangirling online is disgusting, and the excuses made for his behaviour are insane.

They've both behaved terribly, but his PR team is better.

And people feel affection for JD's characters in films, and don't want to have to give that up by recognising that he's behaved badly too.

There's also the perceived injustice that he's lost work due to his behaviour but she hasn't.

I do bet he rues the day he left Vanessa Paradis

I think this trial is a sign of the times that we live in now in that facts and news has been replaced by pr and the winner is whomever has the best pr team. In truth nobody except AH and JD know what went on but a quick peruse of TikTok and everybody is a body language expert/relationship counsellor.

Well before it was the other way round.

Everyone believed Amber and Johnny got his career torn to shreds and lost several huge films because he was an abuser.

Now its come to light that may not be the truth and the people who are 'Team Johnny' are obviously following the m court case and can see there are massive holes in Amber's stories (such as her claiming to cover her bruises with a specific Milani make up that wasn't even in existence when they were married)

JD is suing for $50m

AH is counter suing for $100m

Hopefully the judge will let them rattle up legal bills and award neither party.

I thought Drew Barrymore called it right but then she went and apologized

variety.com/2022/tv/news/drew-barrymore-apologizes-johnny-depp-amber-heard-insane-1235255655/

I agree. Whatever she may have done or not done, it's clear that he is a nasty piece of work all on his own.
He texted to Paul Bettany: "Let’s drown her before we burn her!!! I will fuck her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure she’s dead"
I've been horrified by the number of people defending him.

I don’t think it’s the type of manipulation you are suggesting. Obviously outlets write stories that people will click on. If you do go back and read about what’s happened and the evidence given in the previous and current trial, you can see that it is quite a story. I don’t think a PR team would be needed for it to blow up.

Yeah - my 14yo ds keeps telling me JD had been proved innocent because of the videos the algorithm is feeding him.

They're both just awful people, but Johnny has a better PR team and of course men and women will both jump on this "toxic women" bandwagon. I'm not saying she isn't but he is "toxic masculinity" too, but apparently it's her fault he's like that, makes me sick.

I’ve said it before, on another thread, the story about the cavity search was chilling and I don’t believe she made that up. I also noticed on social media before this trial that Depp has a lot of fans who absolutely don’t believe he would do anything wrong.
I’ve never seen that kind of passionate support for Amber. And I noticed how many hateful reactions there are from men, towards Amber. I’ve never seen so much male anger on social media directed towards men that are (proven) domestic abusers. The misogynistic undertone once you notice it really makes me uncomfortable.

Another one has just come up, but this time it's from a page called 'A Woman's Soul' talking about how JD felt about being removed from the role of Jack Sparrow.

I am often surprised at how invasive the algorithms are in the context of pinpointing my interests and the kinds of things I will click on so accurately, so it's particularly jarring to suddenly see so many posts where the entire point is to defend someone in a case that I have never pursued or discussed before.

Johnny and his supporters have been testifying for about 2 weeks. This week is that start of Amber's case. It should mean more videos from her side of the story.

It's not only the PR- Amber has poorer lawyers who make her case seem weaker because of their ineptitude eg objecting to a question that they asked the witness 🤦🏻‍♀️

@PeekAtYou - agreed that Amber's lawyers are terrible for objecting to every slight thing

I think it's going to be really counter productive in the long run, as the jury will just think they are blocking information to hide the truth and that won't help Amber's case.

JD's sister's cross examination was farcical with the number of unfounded objections imo - and the judge should have put her foot down more and let the case be properly presented.

I know she sacked her PR last week and hired a new one. (Presumably because of the headlines)

I've never seen so many videos and comments using the 🤡 emoji. (Her lawyers not Amber)

Johnny Depp has created this tutored soul persona for years

he has always been business savvy, had clever pr that hid his drug and alcohol problems or played then down and managed any negativity press that came his way (like playing a Native American apparently it was fine as his great grandmother was and lived as one which turned out to be utter bs which was awful as many Native Americans had celebrated him being so successful)

he is a very successful actor and businessman who dreamt of being a rock star (doesn’t quite match the successful business side of him) there has always been something pretentious about him I thrill he has always liked to give the impression he does little to cultivate his persona when it’s quite the opposite

Are Amber / Johnny allowed to read headlines and talk about the case given they are testifying? Not sure of the legalities on that. I assume they can given she had seen and heard enough to decide to fire her PR team and hire a new one during the trial.

The algorithm isn't just based on what you click on or like. It's based on what your network of friends or people with a similar profile like. I think you're seeing the prevailing JD sentiment. And it only takes one click to influence your feed anyway.

I’m actually watching the court room (it’s all televised), ignoring the bollox spouted by the US commentators. I went in thinking Depp was guilty as hell, I despise perpetrators of domestic abuse, and always support woman - following threads on Relationships I’ve learned a lot over the last few years.

Last week was his testimony and witnesses. This week it’s her turn.
She was on the witness stand for the first time yesterday. And we’ve still got her witness to go, and her cross examination and witnesses to go.

I’m still reserving judgment, but she better come up with some strong evidence because at the moment it actually looks like she was the perpetrator, not Depp. And I hate to say that.