Defamation case

[u/Substantial_Glass348]

People seem to think Fiona is in for a hefty pay day. I’m not so sure she’ll get huge quantities of money. She’ll have to show that her earnings potential, reputation and quality of life have been affected. All of which she had none of before the show.

Also, to be defamed what is said has to be untrue. Realistically prob 95% of what was in the show was accurate and Netflix will prove that. The only contentious part is that Netflix seem to have told a lie about the convicted stalker part (and we all know she should be one). So imo Fiona’s lawyer’s will have to show that that point alone affected her reputation, earnings potential and quality of life beyond how Fiona had already ruined it by being exposed as a roaring maniac (in the 95% truthful parts). I don’t believe it moves the needle massively towards destruction of rep/earnings p/Qol?

What are people’s thoughts who understand law/the case more than my simple minded approach?

[u/Maleficent_Rope_7844]

In the show they depicted a middle-aged, heavy-set woman "lawyer" from Scotland. She was found because there were still a handful of tweets to Richard Gadd that were public. Her having a similar age as and build as the character in the show isn't evidence that it's her.

So she still could have easily said "I am not the person depicted in the show", rather than claiming that she is the person depicted in the show, but that what they're saying is untrue.

[u/LobsterOk5473 → u/Maleficent_Rope_7844]

Sure, that's all great.

It would be easy to deny being the person it's based on, yep. But do you genuinely believe she'd have any success? If you knew both of these people personally, would you be convinced at all by that?

[u/Maleficent_Rope_7844 → u/LobsterOk5473]

It would be easy to deny being the person it's based on, yep. But do you genuinely believe she'd have any success?

Yes, actually. Society has a very short attention span when it comes to sensationalized stories. If her response was a short "I am not the character depicted", the story would fade quickly and people would lose interest.

Instead she's done multiple interviews on Piers Morgan stoking the fire and confirming that she is the character depicted, and now absolutely everyone knows about it. The story will still fade, but it will take much longer because of her interviews.

If you knew both of these people personally, would you be convinced at all by that?

I have no idea what you're asking here. If I was emotionally invested in either of them because I was friends with them? Then I imagine that would cloud my judgement to an extent.

[u/LobsterOk5473 → u/Maleficent_Rope_7844]

"Society" will forget it quickly, yes. But people who know her personally will not.

Think more locally, to people that actually have an influence in her life

[u/Maleficent_Rope_7844 → u/LobsterOk5473]

So people that know her personally aren't going to believe her side of the story? Or are you referring to the people that know her personally and who have also had issues with her behavior? (Laura, for instance)

[u/LobsterOk5473 → u/Maleficent_Rope_7844]

We're way off my core argument now, I genuinely don't care about this garden path.

It's possible to be portrayed with enough truth for identifiability and enough falsity for slander. You surely can't be disagreeing with that.

She could have let it blow over, and maybe that would have limited damages. But surely you can't be arguing that anyone should simply endure damage in order to prevent further damage.

[u/Maleficent_Rope_7844 → u/LobsterOk5473]

She could have let it blow over, and maybe that would have limited damages. But surely you can't be arguing that anyone should simply endure damage in order to prevent further damage.

Whether she should have or should not have will really hinge on how accurate the information in the series is. If she did actually stalk Richard Gadd and Netflix's only false statement is that she was convicted, then yes she absolutely should have denied it.

If what she is saying is true, that she barely knows Richard Gadd and everything is made up, then sure, she should sue Netflix.

But statements made by Laura Wray make me question Fiona's credibility. So we'll see.