Blog
Kingsley Napley’s Medical Negligence Team ‘walks together’ with the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity
Sharon Burkill
21 February 2019
Was the Cliff Richard judgment really a blow to press freedom? The “Drone Couple” would likely disagree
The Cliff Richard privacy judgment was thought to be a landmark case when it comes to press reporting of a police investigation. Headlines following the judgment included “The Cliff Richard judgment is a chilling blow to press freedom” and “Cliff Richard privacy judgment threatens press freedom”. Whilst the result was a positive end to a terrible experience for Cliff Richard, has it really changed how the press report allegations? In this blog, we explore whether the ruling is taken into account when reporting on other types of investigations.
21 February 2019
Be warned - you can be held liable for the defamatory comments of another!
In the recent High Court judgment of Monir v Wood [2018], the Court held the Defendant liable for a defamatory tweet, even though he did not post or have knowledge of the tweet at the time. The Defendant was also held liable for failing to remove the defamatory material once it was brought to his attention.
5 February 2018
Policing the internet – "fake news" and social media offence update
Fake news has dominated the headlines since the Trump presidency began both in the USA and across the globe. High profile individuals and politicians regularly defend allegations by complaining about inaccurate digital and hardcopy print. However, individual members of the public are also suffering at the hands of social media more and more. In response to the rise in online offending, the CPS published Guidelines on social media offences at the end of 2016.
14 July 2016
Decline of the English Sex Scandal – why you can never get a good sex scandal these days (with apologies to George Orwell)
It is a Sunday afternoon –you put your feet up on the sofa and open the Sun on Sunday.What is it that you want to read about? Naturally - about a sex scandal. But what kind?
28 June 2016
Divorce in the digital age - avoiding the pitfalls of social media
Social media undeniably plays a huge part in our lives today. At the last count, I had six apps on my phone, four of which I use regularly to stay “connected” and all of which contribute to my digital footprint. Social media is a normal (some may say obsessive) part of most people’s modern day life.
Given that, it is hardly surprising that issues relating to social media arise in family cases. An increasing number of divorce petitions based on one party’s unreasonable behaviour now refer to social media, and the impact of social media doesn’t stop there. For many, social media offers a way to help them cope with marital breakdown through posts of support by online friends and followers. However it is used, it can prove to be a useful source of evidence in many cases and those using online profiles should be wary of the potential pitfalls.
