The Pros and Cons of Laws Against Defamation - 1193 Words

During the history defamation has developed in two ways; slander and libel. The law leading slander focused on oral statements and libel on written ones. By the 1500 English printers had to be licensed and had to be linked to the government as by that time it was believed that written word had possibility to give a risk to political strength. However when the times passed the law progressed and these days freedom of expression is a foundation of democratic rights and freedoms therefore freedom of speech is necessary in making possible democracy to work and community involvement in decision-making. When defamation comes to practice and people feels threatened with a defamation suit, the biggest focus is on whether or not there is†¦show more content†¦Even though this is not that common in United Kingdom but it is worth keeping in our mind. Privacy laws quite often slow down investigative reporting aimed at exposing corrupt and illegal practices. Privacy laws, while important in protecting the private affairs of individuals, should not be misused to deny discussion of matters of public concern. One of the most recent cases was News of the World scandal where News of the World journalist Dan Evans and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire for misuse of private information and breach of confidence. Progress has been made in recent years in terms of securing respect for the right to freedom of expression. Efforts have been made to implement this right through specially constructed regional mechanisms. New opportunities are emerging for greater freedom of expression with the internet and worldwide satellite broadcasting. I a case Ferdinand v MGN Ltd was said: â€Å"The action for misuse of private information has grown out of the older equitable claim for breach of confidence. Breach of confidence in its original form does still have a life of its own and may be relevant, for instance, where the Claimant is not in a position to invoke Article 8.† The claim has been dismissed. Nonetheless new threats are emerging such as global media monopolies and pressures on independent media outlets. The freedom to impartShow MoreRelatedAnalyse and Assess the Pros and Cons of the Libel Defences of Justification and Fair Comment1644 Words   |  7 Pagesthe pros and cons of the libel defences of justification and fair comment with reference to a minimum of three case studies Libel law in England is incredibly tough, so much so, that if found to be liable of a defamatory statement, ‘a statement which lowers someone in the eyes of reasonable people...’ [Quinn 2009: 210] the consequences can be very costly to both the journalist themselves and their newspapers and therefore it is very important for the defences of defamation to beRead MoreEssay on Pros and Cons of Censorship: Controlling Media and Ideas769 Words   |  4 Pagesdebates on whether censorship has truly been a restraint of expression, imposed to protect people from themselves and to others, or just, for the most part, futile in this day and age. 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