Blake Lively has filed a sexual harassment complaint against her “It Ends with Us” co-star and director Justin Baldoni, alleging that he orchestrated a smear campaign to damage her reputation. The complaint claims that Baldoni’s crisis PR team created a false narrative portraying Lively as “controlling” and “difficult” on social media.
Lively accuses Baldoni of using astroturfing tactics, a manipulative strategy designed to create the illusion of public support or opposition. Astroturfing involves creating fake social media accounts or paying real people to post coordinated content. According to PR expert Dr. Joan Donovan, these campaigns are not organic and are designed to look like genuine public opinion.
Baldoni’s attorney has defended his client’s actions, stating that the crisis management firm followed standard procedures when hired by a client experiencing threats from powerful individuals. However, Baldoni’s legal team has denied the claims, calling them “false” and “intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt.”
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/justin-baldonis-nasty-pr-tactic-in-alleged-smear-campaign-against-blake-lively-exposed-101735090247024.html