Privacy and the press: Where are we now?

Mr Justice Eady looked at the changes to the legal position on privacy over the past two decades, the ‘balancing act’ required of judges, the press perspective on this, and what (if anything) should be done to combat “libel tourism”.

He said: “It is right to point out that it is not only in this jurisdiction that there has been concern about rights of personal privacy. The issue is a matter of current discussion in Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. It would seem to be part of a much wider consciousness in modern societies that something has to be done to protect what is (in Lord Hoffmann’s words) ‘an aspect of human autonomy and dignity’.”