The only thing worse than a highly-publicized trial is the unwelcome commentary that comes from internet users who don’t know anything about basic laws or human decency.
As the world follows Amber Heard and Johnny Depps’ defamation trial, photos of the trial have been making the rounds, including emotionally-charged photos of Heard very visibly upset. Snapchat also just so happened to release a filter with a crying face that looked eerily similar to Heard’s expressions, and of course, it made the rounds on social media.
@nadiak1998 Or am I just late to the party and everyone knew that? #greenscreenvideo #amberheard #johnnydepp #cryingface #foryou
Many social media users compared the filter to Heard, calling it the “Amber Filter,” which is all levels of weird. As with all trends, they take off, and even huge accounts have been following the trend, posting it to TikTok and Instagram as well as Snapchat, since the only people who still use Snapchat is anyone below Gen Z.
After becoming a trend, many fans reacted to the filter, poking fun at Heard. Snapchat has officially responded, saying that the lens had been in development for months and that the company would never poke fun at a trial. Despite the disclaimer, the filter is inspiring videos made by Depp supporters causing Heard of lying.
Overall, the whole thing is a mess, and a perfect example of why trials should not be shown on social media, ever.