Legal insight for journalists from one of the UK's leading legal trainers

By Cleland Thom 14 May 13:01

 

Judith Townend, who runs the indispensable Meeja Law blog, has launched a survey to find out how journalists and bloggers are affected libel and privacy law.

By Cleland Thom 02 May 9:01
Sorry to interrupt the raucous celebrations about the new Defamation Act that are still going on in newsrooms across the country. But I need to sound a note of caution. I mean, that’s what law guys do, isn’t it?
By Cleland Thom 15 April 14:55
The decision of whether to name someone who has been arrested is one that editors have to grapple with most days. I get more legal queries about this than anything else. The problem is libel.
By Cleland Thom 02 April 10:41
The prosecution of The Sun for an alleged breach of pre-trial reporting restrictions is yet another sign of the present Government’s determination to clamp down on pre-trial prejudice by the media.
By Cleland Thom 19 February 11:06

 

 

Web editors beware – the long-awaited crackdown on illegal cookies on websites has begun.

The Information Commission has written to more than 100 sites after receiving complaints from the public.

By Cleland Thom 14 February 9:00
The Leveson inquiry was urgently reconvened today to hear new evidence from victims of media abuse.
By Cleland Thom 24 January 9:40

 

I saw an article about a dodgy curry house in south London on a news magazine’s website recently.

The restaurant was prosecuted after a rat appeared during an environmental health inspection.

By Cleland Thom 10 January 15:57
The ruling by Mr Justice Briggs in the Ned RocknRoll Facebook photos case puts the Press Complaints Commission’s definition of public interest firmly in the spotlight.
By Cleland Thom 17 December 15:19
Legal quiz: Can you spot all the reporting restrictions covering the story of Goldilocks and the three bears?
By Cleland Thom 12 December 12:18
Journalists sometimes phone me and say: "I’m covering a crown court trial, and they’ve just mentioned the bloke’s previous convictions! How can that be right?"
By Cleland Thom 10 December 16:40

 

It was ironic that Lord Justice Leveson cleared off to Australia after publishing his report two weeks ago.

Hopefully, he will  look at Australian's press regulation while he’s there.

By Cleland Thom 04 December 10:51
Too many stories provide far too much detail - a simple guide to avoid breaching reporting restrictions
By Cleland Thom 28 November 12:21
The PCC’s decision to reject a complaint after a local paper used someone’s photo and information from their Facebook page was a rare piece of good news for the media.
By Cleland Thom 09 November 14:21
Lord McAlpine’s claim that he has been identified by ‘inference’ as the senior Tory party figure involved in sexually abusing children is unusual but not unique.
By Cleland Thom 30 October 14:39
You may have thought drone journalism involved covering some boring official pontificating about a regional structure plan.
By Cleland Thom 30 October 10:03
Two tips for journalists working online. Those who use 192.com to search for people need to take care if they’re working on an investigative assignment.
By Press Gazette 26 October 8:08
I suspect that we journalists are as cynical and uninspired about the forthcoming elections for Police Commissioners as everyone else. But we need to seize this rare opportunity to hold our police forces to account.
By Cleland Thom 17 October 11:10
Nick Hart had some strong views on my post last week about the new law that prevents teachers being identified if they are suspected of a crime against a pupil.
By Press Gazette 12 October 10:39
The new law that gives anonymity to teachers accused of crimes against their pupils has rightly been criticised by the Society of Editors and others.
By Cleland Thom 02 October 12:28
Just days after new legislation came in to give anonymity to teachers accused of sexual offences against their pupils, a judge in London went out of his way to protect the identity of a senior master who admitted sexual activity with a girl under 13.

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