| dc.description.abstract | In this chapter, we look at three high profile #MeToo defamation cases following public allegations of sexual harassment: Meesha Shafi’s allegations against Ali Zafar in Pakistan; Priya Ramani’s allegations against M.J. Akbar in India; and Amber Heard’s (unnamed) allegations of domestic violence against Johnny Depp in the United States. In each, a woman’s MeToo declaration ignited a firestorm of litigation, including civil defamation and sometimes criminal defamation, alongside counter defamation actions. Social media played a key role in influencing the ways in which narratives were presented and in the process, were productive of sexual speech. The role of social media has reshaped and complicated the ways in which #MeToo cases and defamation are understood in the courtroom, beyond the binary of free expression and censorship. | en_US |
