Trials of Public Figures Involving Credibility and Confirmation Bias Provide Fodder for Ongoing Debate

Feb 8

Trials involving well-known people are going to get an inordinate amount of media and public attention. Even after the legal judgment, the verdict, people and debate might be discussed.

It might seem peculiar to some yet when a group of people feel the outcome was wrong and one person or party was badly wronged, the conversation — media and public — is likely to continue.

And such is the case with the twice trial-concluded Johnny Depp - Amber heard legal cases. Twitter is still regularly debating who was wronged and there are cases being made for Depp and Heard, primarily the latter.

In Brief Exchanges, Matt Caiola, co-CEO of 5WPR, a public relations agency, brings up some interesting points as to why this type of story has people still talking about it on social media.

“The Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard trial converged at the center of interests and generations in a way few legal trials have, combining pop culture, current events, true crime, and social media.

“In a way, it was the right trial at the right time thanks to the popularity and curiosity of true crime podcasts; access to the trial thanks to media coverage; relaxed work-from-home environments; and armchair experts with full access to the trial and the ability to share their opinions freely on social media,” Caiola says.

It’s natural, he contends, that people see process and outcomes through different lenses and find fault and comment, keeping a story alive.

“A trial based on evaluating the credibility of oral testimony naturally provides fodder for public debate, allowing for more room to criticize, speculate, and input our own biases and experiences on the situation,” Caiola says.

“This confirmation bias, with many viewers searching for information that reaffirmed their thoughts, is what fed the fire on social media,” he adds.

It’s not just the people in the conflict — Depp and Heard — that have kept the attention of the public and media.

“The trial has gained longevity beyond the ruling, to the point that it's still being discussed today because major players have gained celebrity status, besides even the celebrities at the center. Most notably, Camille Vasquez, who was an attorney on Depp’s legal team and gained incredible support and attention for her courtroom appearances, has since been hired by NBC to appear as a legal analyst on the network,” Caiola points out.

That Depp and Heard remain in the public eye helps keep the commentary going.

“Unlike other trials where the defendant, plaintiffs and legal teams move on and try to live quiet lives out of the news, the personalities at the center of this trial keep popping up,” Caiola says, “reminding onlookers of the trial, and reigniting the passionate conversations from both sides of the conflict.”