Take 10 #6

Welcome to RPC's media and communications law update. This issue reports on key media developments and the latest cases.

News items

Alaedeen Sicri v Associated Newspapers Limited

A trial of this privacy case was heard before Mr Justice Warby on 2, 3 and 6 November. Read more

Greenstein v Campaign Against Antisemitism

WA libel claim brought against the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) by anti-Zionist activist Tony Greenstein will not proceed to trial.  Read more

Haji-Ioannou v Telegraph Media Group Ltd

The founder of Easyjet, Stelios Haji-loannou has lost his libel claim against the Daily Telegraph over an article that disputed Mr Haji-Ioannou's claims about three shareholders.  Read more

Napag Trading Ltd & Ors. v GEDI Gruppo Editoriale & Anor

Mr Justice Jay has ruled in the case of Napag Trading that the English court does not have jurisdiction to hear a defamation claim brought by two oil companies and their Italian owner against two Italian newspapers, L'Espresso and Il Fatto Quotidiano. Read more

Jamal Hijazi v Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (Tommy Robinson) 

Tommy Robinson, will not be allowed to rely on a public interest defence (in addition to a truth defence) for his dissemination of defamatory videos on social media in November 2018. Read more

Chatter

'Wagatha Christie' 

A preliminary issue trial on meaning was held on Thursday 19 November in the claim brought by Rebekah Vardy against Coleen Rooney. Read more

Met Police apologises to journalists

The Metropolitan Police Service has issued an apology to the Society of Editors, recognising the right of journalists to carry out their work and the public interest in journalists doing so. Read more

Invisible data processing

The ICO has taken enforcement action against Experian regarding its data broking business after a two year investigation which found the company had engaged in significant "invisible processing" of data by trading, enriching and enhancing people’s personal data without their knowledge. Read more

Social media giants make deal with UK Government 

Oliver Dowden and Matt Hancock have agreed a package of measures with social media platforms to help limit the spread of vaccine misinformation, while promoting accurate sources of information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Read more

Manchester United footballer takes ex-girlfriend to High Court 

It was reported that the Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka has obtained a court order on the basis of misuse of private information preventing his ex-girlfriend from posting material about him online. Read more

Quote of the fortnight:

“I am a keen supporter and enthusiast of open justice I have long thought that the presence of not only the public but also the press in court hearings – not only high profile and controversial court hearings – is important for not only maintaining the integrity of the system but also public confidence in the system." Lord Burnett in a keynote talk at the Society of Editors Virtual Conference.