Additional Coverage:
- 3 days before Justin Baldoni sued The New York Times, someone paid $120 to boost content about an emoji integral to the suit (businessinsider.com)
Did an emoji tip the scales in the Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively and The New York Times legal drama? It seems someone knew about the upside-down smiley face’s significance before everyone else.
Baldoni’s lawsuit against the Times hinges on the omission of this emoji, which he says changes the meaning of a text message published in the paper. He claims the Times made it seem like his PR team was involved in smearing Lively, which he denies. Interestingly, days before Baldoni filed suit, someone paid a service called TrollToll to boost social media posts about – you guessed it – Justin, Blake, and that very emoji.
TrollToll’s founder, K.G. Summer, confirmed the mysterious client paid for posts highlighting the emoji’s meaning and its omission from the Times article.
This request was made before the lawsuit was public, suggesting the client had insider knowledge. Summer received the request on December 28th, and three days later, Baldoni filed the lawsuit, making the upside-down smiley face a key part of the story.
While the client’s identity remains a mystery, their preemptive move raises eyebrows. It seems they knew the emoji was about to become a big deal.
Summer insists TrollToll’s services are just “a new look at digital PR” and do not involve cyberbullying or spreading misinformation. He claims the client simply wanted more people talking about the emoji.
This emoji mystery adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing feud between Baldoni and Lively. Was this a strategic PR move, or something more? Only time will tell.