I am outraged to hear that Formula One chief Max Mosley is attempting to change the way journalism works in this country.
Reports say that he has launched a bid to re-write English privacy law so that editors are required to inform the people who they're writing about before the article is published. The person in question then has the chance to request an injunction against the article.
Press Gazette writes: 'Mosley is arguing that English law is in breach of Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, the right to privacy, by not requiring editors to inform people that their private lives are being written about.'
Whilst I agree that everyone has a right to privacy, I don't feel there is any need to go to such extremes as practically gagging the press. There are plenty of options available for those who feel they have been wronged by the press without having to jeopardise the freedom of speech our press have in this country.
Mosley was awarded £60,000 in damages against the News of the World earlier this year after their reports that he was taking part in a Nazi-themed sex orgy in London were rejected in court. That is a higher amount of damages than is usually awarded for a case of invasion of privacy but, Mosley doesn't seem content with that as he is now trying to completely reform the newspaper industry as we know it.
If his bid is successful, we will be subjected to a far more restricted press, much like that found in other countries. I don't think the possible effect of this has quite been contemplated on all parts and so we can only hope that the bid is unsuccessful and that we can retain the freedom of our press.
See the full story at Press Gazette.
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