All posts

23.04.18

Martin Lewis to sue Facebook

Martin Lewis, the consumer campaigner, has announced that he intends to issue defamation proceedings against Facebook in respect of misleading advertisements bearing his name that have been published on the social media platform. It is claimed that many of the adverts show Martin Lewis’ face next to endorsements that he has not made.  These include…

15.12.17

Chairman of Oriental Fine Arts Academy of London wins libel claim over embezzlement/corruption slurs

Selvaratnam Suresh, an honorary chairman, trustee and co-founder of the Oriental Fine Arts Academy of London (‘OFAAL’) has succeeded in his libel claim against Abdul Samad, Amirthalingam Nagarajah and Kajananan Sathananthan, after the defendants agreed to retract their allegations, apologise and pay compensation and costs.  The first two defendants are parents of pupils at the…

31.10.17

#MeToo, naming and shaming: a risky business?

“#MeToo”: Five letters that have been tweeted millions of times in the past month, and demonstrate the enormous power of social media and how it can bring about change for the good.  The feeling of solidarity is a cathartic experience for many who have been the victim of sexual abuse, harassment or other forms of…

12.10.17

Conviction quashed of a ‘flasher’ who was identified via Facebook gossip

A man convicted of indecent exposure has had his conviction quashed following a successful appeal to the Crown Court to have evidence of his identification via social media excluded.  The 22 year old butcher’s assistant had been accused of indecently exposing himself and chasing after the two female victims as they walked home from a…

11.06.17

Revenge porn on Facebook

Last month, The Guardian disclosed that Facebook had to assess nearly 54,000 potential cases of revenge porn and “sextortion” on the site in a single month. Facebook defines revenge porn as attempts to use intimate imagery to shame, humiliate or gain revenge against an individual.  The significant number of cases reported to Facebook is no…

The rise of fake news

In 2016, 82% of adults in the UK used the internet on a daily basis compared with just 35% in 2006. Smartphones and mobile devices are the most popular tools for adults to access the internet with 71% accessing through smartphones. Using the internet for social networking on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and…

25.04.16

Culture Secretary calls for overhaul of online abuse law

Maria Miller, the Culture Secretary, and Senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper have both called for a review of the law governing online harassment, stalking and abuse to prevent inconsistent enforcement and to encourage those affected to report the crime. The current position With the continuing rise in users of social media and a plethora of…

14.03.16

Ex-husband awarded £5,000 damages for Facebook libel

The case of Stocker v Stocker, the first libel trial of 2016, provides a stark warning to those who post defamatory material on social media. In this case the Court held that the claimant had been defamed by his ex-wife and he was awarded £5,000 of damages. Background The claimant and defendant were formerly married,…

27.03.15

Facebook found liable for failing to act promptly to protect paedophile from harassment and breach of privacy

In CG v. Facebook Ireland Ltd and Joseph McCloskey [2015] NIQB 11 the anonymised claimant was awarded £20,000 in damages and an injunction for misuse of private information and harassment. The claimant is a convicted sex offender who bought the claims against Facebook and Mr Joseph McCloskey. Facebook, the first defendant, was the host and McCloskey, the…

5.03.15

Cyberbullying, Online Harassment & Twibel – The State of Play in 2015

Brett Wilson have published an e-book exploring the development of online abuse.  The 21 page guide charts the recent explosion of cyberbullying and the potential dangers of social media use. The guide is split into four chapters:- Cyberbullying, Trolling and Social Media Twitter Libel, Prosecutions and Contempt of Court Revenge Porn and the Misuse of…