header-logo header-logo

When is private information in the public interest?

31 March 2023 / Jeremy Clarke-Williams , Sophie Taraniuk
Issue: 8019 / Categories: Opinion , Public , Defamation , Privacy
printer mail-detail
117288
Is there any recourse for families at the centre of a media storm? Jeremy Clarke-Williams & Sophie Taraniuk assess whether the discourse surrounding the disappearance of Nicola Bulley crossed the line

Certain cases capture the public’s attention and generate an extraordinary volume of reportage, scrutiny, comment and speculation.

On 27 January 2023, Nicola Bulley’s disappearance quickly became the subject of very widespread and intense media coverage. How intense? Well, Private Eye (No 1593) reports that by 21 February 2023, the Daily Mirror had run 232 pieces about the matter while The Sun had published 175 articles, and MailOnline 328 (that works out at more than 13 a day).

Inevitably, this led to viral coverage on social media. The unusual and mysterious circumstances of Ms Bulley’s disappearance, coupled with the apparent lack of progress in finding her, led to widespread speculation and a number of self-styled ‘social media detectives’ even taking it upon themselves to visit the location. In due course this potent mixture

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

FOIL—Bridget Tatham

FOIL—Bridget Tatham

Forum of Insurance Lawyers elects president for 2026

Gibson Dunn—Robbie Sinclair

Gibson Dunn—Robbie Sinclair

Partner joinslabour and employment practice in London

Muckle LLP—Ella Johnson

Muckle LLP—Ella Johnson

Real estate dispute resolution team welcomes newly qualified solicitor

NEWS
Solicitors are installing panic buttons and thumb print scanners due to ‘systemic and rising’ intimidation including death and arson threats from clients
Ministers’ decision to scrap plans for their Labour manifesto pledge of day one protection from unfair dismissal was entirely predictable, employment lawyers have said
Cryptocurrency is reshaping financial remedy cases, warns Robert Webster of Maguire Family Law in NLJ this week. Digital assets—concealable, volatile and hard to trace—are fuelling suspicions of hidden wealth, yet Form E still lacks a section for crypto-disclosure
NLJ columnist Stephen Gold surveys a flurry of procedural reforms in his latest 'Civil way' column
Paper cyber-incident plans are useless once ransomware strikes, argues Jack Morris of Epiq in NLJ this week
back-to-top-scroll