Privacy law

Privacy law applies to everyone but we only really hear about it when a celebrity or other public figure invokes their right to have personal information kept out of the media spotlight.

The right to a private and family life is enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). However, it often conflicts with another right contained in the ECHR, the right to freedom of expression. The media often invoke this right in order to print or report a story about somebody famous.

In this part of the blog we will keep you updated with any changes to privacy law, and the most interesting case studies as they happen.

Contact Law can put you in touch with a solicitor specialising in privacy law if you find yourself in a situation where your right to privacy is being infringed. Fast action is often required to ensure the story isn’t published. Our solicitors can act quickly to prevent publication.

Scottish paper reveals identity of super-injunction footballer

‘Everyone knows that this is the footballer accused of using the courts to keep allegations of a sexual affair secret. But we weren’t supposed to tell you that…’ This was the headline of Scottish paper the Sunday Herald on the morning of 23 May 2011. It sat underneath of picture of an instantly recognisable football [...]

Top judge delivers super-injunction report

Lord Neuberger, the most senior civil judge in England and Wales, has delivered his long awaited report on anonymised privacy injunctions and super-injunctions and their use in the UK. The report comes a day after an injunction obtained by Sir Fred Goodwin, the former head of the Royal Bank of Scotland, was partially lifted by [...]

Super-injunctions debated again, this time in the House of Lords

Super-injunctions have been brought back into the spotlight again, this time by a discussion on their use in the House of Lords. In particular, the super-injunction obtained by Sir ‘Fred the Shred’ Goodwin, the former chief of the Royal Bank of Scotland, was brought up again for the first time since he was named in [...]

Judge refuses to lift injunction for Imogen Thomas as “evidence suggests blackmail”

High Court Judge Mr Justice Eady yesterday refused to lift the ban on naming the married Premier League footballer with whom Imogen Thomas, a former Big Brother contestant, allegedly had an affair after saying that it appeared she had attempted to blackmail him. The request to life the injunction was jointly brought by Ms Thomas, [...]

MPs call for privacy law reform after Twitter defies injunctions

After a Twitter user posted the names of several celebrities who have obtained injunctions on the social media site, serious questions have been raised about the effectiveness of the UK’s privacy laws. Following the revelations on Twitter, Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, said a “crazy situation” had arisen where social media sites are publishing information [...]

Max Mosley loses European bid to reform UK privacy law

Max Mosley has lost his bid to tighten UK privacy laws by making it compulsory for newspapers and other media outlets to contact the subjects of stories before they reveal details of their private lives to the public. The former motorsports boss who lives in Monaco was pursuing his claim against the UK Government after [...]

Gagging order granted for international chef Employment Tribunal

An injunction has been granted to suppress the names and details of an Employment Tribunal battle between an internationally renowned chef and two of his former employees. The injunction is the latest in a long line of gagging orders and ‘super injunctions’ that has caused many MPs to express concern over the apparent willingness of [...]

Government loses case on release of abortion data

The government has lost a contoversial case in the High Court regarding the Information Tribunal’s decision in 2009 to allow the release of information from the Department of Health on late term abortions. That information had been requested by the anti-abortion organisation, ProLife Alliance. The contested data is comprised of full statistical data on late [...]

Newspapers join forces to fight super injunctions

Three newspapers have joined together to challenge a businessman who is seeking a super injunction to prevent certain allegations being published while remaining anonymous. It is the media’s latest attempt to curtail the court’s granting of such injunctions. ‘Super injunctions’ are a controversial breed of gagging order that allow not only the details of allegations [...]

Make way for the ‘hyper injunction’

Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming has revealed the existence of a hyper injunction that has banned an individual from talking to his MP, journalists and lawyers about the presence of toxic chemicals in the paint used to coat drinking water tanks on ships. The exposure of the hyper injunction follows Mr Hemming’s previous exposure earlier [...]

BBC under fire over private investigator admissions

The BBC is under increasing pressure to release the details of its use of private investigators in making its current affairs programmes, such as Panorama. The broadcaster has received calls from MPs asking it to disclose how much public money has been spent on hiring private investigators to conduct research on its behalf. Keith Vaz, [...]

MP uses parliamentary privilege to expose super injunction

Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming has used the constitutional principle of parliamentary privilege to expose a super injunction granted by the court to Sir Fred Goodwin, the controversial former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland. Sir Goodwin obtained the super injunction to prevent certain information about him being published in the press. However, [...]

Famous sportsman’s identity remains a mystery

The Court of Appeal has allowed a famous sportsman to keep his identity a secret on appeal after the High Court ruled that whilst the details of his private life can remain private, his identity cannot.