Dylan Sprouse, one half of the ever-enigmatic Sprouse twins, called out Jared Leto on Twitter today for allegedly predatory behaviour. Apropos of nothing, it seems, Sprouse wrote, "Yo @JaredLeto now that you’ve slid into the dm’s of every female model aged 18-25, what would you say your success rate is?"
Incidentally, Leto has not responded. (Refinery29 has reached out to representation for Leto and Sprouse.)
Sprouse, who owns a meadery in Brooklyn, didn't make his motive clear in his tweet. Is he accusing Leto of predatory behaviour? It should be noted that sending direct messages to women between the ages of 18 - 25 is not a crime. Sprouse could also be genuinely asking for tips — the world of celebrity DMs is complicated, and sliding into the messages of supermodels doesn't seem like a crime among the elite. (Alternatively, everyone could just use Raya.)
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One Twitter user replied to Sprouse suggesting Leto sue for libel. While this may not be the best use of Leto's time, it is a viable lawsuit. Under American law, libel can occur in any written medium, no matter the character count. This goes for Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and whatever new social media site you're publishing your gripes on.
Fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir famously sued Courtney Love for a series of tweets in 2010. Simorangkir alleged that the tweets, which included disparaging comments about Simorangkir being a drug dealer and a racist, damaged her business. As part of their settlement, Love paid Simorangkir $430,000 in a series of payments lasting into 2014. Simorangkir had her business on her side, though — via her business earnings, she could prove that Love's statement caused a tangible loss. If Leto wants to sue Sprouse, he'd need to prove that Sprouse's cheeky accusation caused harm. As of now, Sprouse's tweet hasn't dredged up any additional accusations, but it could if it gains traction. If these accusations mounted and caused Leto to, say, lose a job, he'd have a case on his hands.
Lesson learned: Being chatty on Twitter can cost you.