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Twitter user names super-injunction celebrities allegedly gagging the press

A Twitter user has chucked a hand grenade of scandal into the world of celebrity PR, naming several celebrities alleged to have taken out so-called super-injunction gagging orders.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm
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Twitter has blown open a number of alleged super-injunctions. A Twitter user has chucked a hand grenade of scandal into the world of celebrity PR, naming several celebrities alleged to have taken out so-called super-injunction gagging orders.

Super-injunctions are legal orders banning the press from reporting about specific stories. The 'super' part is that it is illegal to even mention that there's an injunction. Clever, eh?

Twitter was instrumental in blowing a super-injunction wide open last year when oil company Trafigura attempted to cover up toxic waste dumping, but the super-injunctions in the spotlight today involve celebrities allegedly trying to sweep bad behaviour under the carpet.

Here's a bit of background from the inimitable animated newshounds at NMA TV:

The whistle-blowing feed has racked up an impressive 50,000 followers in just two days -- and with just six tweets. A more scandal-packed six tweets you'll never see, rife with extra-marital affairs, sex toy-wielding prostitutes and visits to kinky sex dungeons.

We hasten to add that the feed may well be full of scurrilous rumour and outright lies, but we can't help wondering in that case why the tweeter in question would pick such an odd selection of celebs to traduce. Naming no names, some of the tweets seem plausible, reflecting existing rumours, while others are downright ridiculous.

Celebrities and companies attempting to avoid bad press probably hate Twitter for undiluted and uncontrollable revelations like these, but on the other hand, Twitter does allow for celebrities to defend themselves. Celebrity, er, famous person Jemima Khan is the only named celeb to do so, denying being involved in a super-injunction banning mention of photos of herself with Top Gear presenter Clarkson.

"I hope the people who made this story up realise that my sons will be bullied at school because of it. Plus I'm getting vile hate tweets," she writes. It does seem rather unlikely.

The celebs named in the feed are trending, as is the word 'redacted'. The affair is also the subject of hilarious memes including -- such as The Greatest Story Ever [REDACTED] orRita, Sue and [REDACTED] Too.

It's not clear where all this leaves Twitter with regard to libel law. Social-networking sites have been coming under increased scrutiny recently, with the Press Complaints Commission considering extending its auspices to cover the Twitter feeds of news publishers and the journalists they employ. 

Not every celebrity enjoys having a direct and unfiltered link to the public. Recently Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson left Twitter after signing up just two hours earlier, during which time he was subjected to a torrent of abuse by fans. Meanwhile West Ham defender Danny Gabbidon is in hot water with the FA for using choice language in an outburst directed against supporters.