Privacy, Freedom of Expression and the Media:  Recent Developments

The SPLG are delighted to invite you to their Autumn event, on current issues in media law in Scotland and the UK.  The event is being held with the support of Glasgow Caledonian University’s Institute for Society and Social Justice Research on Tuesday 29 November 2011.

Recent developments involving and affecting the media need little introduction. Complaints about the apparently excessive protection of privacy through the use of superinjunctions have shifted in the course of the year to much wider concerns over the involvement of media organisations in phone hacking and unorthodox, if not unlawful, relationships with the police and others.  Meantime, in the field of freedom of expression and regulation of hate speech we have had the introduction – and evolution – of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill in the Scottish Parliament.

To discuss these current issues in media law we will have a panel of speakers including:

Hugh Tomlinson QC a well known specialist in media and information law including defamation, confidence, privacy and data protection.  He has represented a number of  high profile individuals seeking to protect their privacy, including several well known (English) footballers and is highly respected as an authority on civil liberties and regulation of the media.

Rosalind McInnes is principal solicitor with BBC Scotland and the author of Scots Law for Journalists, now in its 8th edition.  She speaks, publishes and teaches on all aspects of media law and has been at the coal face for many years challenging reporting restrictions, and protecting the rights of journalists, in the Scottish courts and in the European Court of Human Rights.

The event will take place on Tuesday 29 November 2011 at the Govan Mbeki Building, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow

It will commence with tea and coffee at  5.15pm.  Talks will start at 5.30pm and will run, with a Q&A session, until 7pm.  There will then be a drinks reception from 7pm to 8pm.

Please email Karen.Brough@shepwedd.co.uk to book your place.  We anticipate that places for this event will be in demand.  We do not charge for our evening events, but we do ask in return that if you sign up and are unable to attend you let us know, so that your place may be offered to somebody else.