Troll groups target Amber Heard and other women online

Jennifer Bubel & Will Gittins

TROLL GROUPS

target Amber Heard and other women online

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A report by Bot Sentinel shows how internet trolls target abuse towards female public figures like Amber Heard.

A report by Bot Sentinel shows how internet trolls target abuse towards female public figures like Amber Heard.

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Study found that Twitter trolls used manipulation tactics in order to get anti-Amber Heard hashtags to trend on Twitter.

Study found that Twitter trolls used manipulation tactics in order to get anti-Amber Heard hashtags to trend on Twitter.

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Trolls used 'hashtag spamming' to boost reach, giving the impression of overwhelming negativity towards the actress.

Trolls used 'hashtag spamming' to boost reach, giving the impression of overwhelming negativity towards the actress.

Once they had got a hashtag trending, users would brag about their achievement and encourage others to join in.

Once they had got a hashtag trending, users would brag about their achievement and encourage others to join in.

They used 'copypasta' techniques - copying and pasting duplicated content - to amplify claims that Heard was lying.

They used 'copypasta' techniques - copying and pasting duplicated content - to amplify claims that Heard was lying.

Trolls also harrassed and abused Heard's supporters, sending death threats and doxxing their personal information.

Trolls also harrassed and abused Heard's supporters, sending death threats and doxxing their personal information.

One woman was targeted by trolls who created a fake account with a photo of her deceased child.

One woman was targeted by trolls who created a fake account with a photo of her deceased child.

The Bot Sentinel report analyzed tweets and found that 24% of the abusive accounts were set up in the past seven months.

The Bot Sentinel report analyzed tweets and found that 24% of the abusive accounts were set up in the past seven months.

Hashtags included #AmberHeardLsAnAbuser and #AmberHeardLsALiar, spelled with an L instead of an I to dupe the algorithm.

Hashtags included #AmberHeardLsAnAbuser and #AmberHeardLsALiar, spelled with an L instead of an I to dupe the algorithm.

Report described the abuse as "one of the worst cases of cyberbullying and cyberstalking... that we've ever seen."

Report described the abuse as "one of the worst cases of cyberbullying and cyberstalking... that we've ever seen."