Former leader of Sinn Fein, Gerry Adams, has succeeded in his defamation case against the BBC and been awarded €100,000 in damages. A jury at the High Court in Dublin found that Adams had been defamed in a 2016 BBC NI programme and article which alleged that he sanctioned the murder of MI5 informant Denis Donaldson.

Adams denied any IRA involvement and called the documentary a smear, while the BBC defended its reporting as being in the public interest. The jury concluded the BBC presented the claim as fact rather than allegation, had not acted in good faith and failed to prove the defence of “fair publication.” BBC, Sky News, The Guardian, Belfast Telegraph, NPR, Politico, The Independent, Press Gazette, and ITVX covered the case.

Far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, has been released early from prison after the High Court reduced his 18-month sentence for contempt of court. He was convicted for repeatedly breaching an injunction that prevented him from spreading false claims about a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him for defamation. Despite the judge noting his lack of remorse, Yaxley-Lennon pledged to comply with the injunction going forward. He announced plans for a free-speech festival and now faces two separate legal cases—one for allegedly harassing journalists and another for refusing to provide a phone PIN to police. The BBC, Sky News, Al Jazeera, LBC, The Evening Standard and The Independent reported on the development.

Internet and Social Media

Meta is reported to be replacing up to 90% of its internal privacy and integrity risk assessments from human reviewers to AI. Critical updates to algorithms, safety features, and content-sharing rules will largely be approved through automated systems. Critics, including former Meta employees, warn this could increase the risk of real-world harm. While Meta claims humans will still handle complex or novel cases, the automation will apply even to sensitive areas like youth safety and misinformation. NPR and Tech Crunch have more information.

Data privacy and data protection

The ICO has reprimanded Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for serious failings in handling CCTV footage after two hours of video went missing during a 48-hour custody period in February 2021. Despite a request to retain the footage beyond the standard 90-day period, GMP was later unable to recover the missing footage, prompting a self-reported data breach. The investigation concluded that GMP had failed to provide personal data in a timely manner and lacked adequate measures to prevent data loss. The force has since upgraded its surveillance system and improved data retention practices.

Surveillance

A sheriff’s office in Texas used data from over 83,000 automated license plate reader cameras, spanning 6,809 networks operated by Flock Safety, including in states where abortion is legal, to track a woman suspected of having an abortion, reports 404 Media. The police claimed that they conducted the search out of concern for the woman’s safety, however the search record simply stated, “had an abortion, search for female.” Electronic Frontier Foundation and Guardian have more information.

A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has found that young workers and Black employees are disproportionately subject to workplace surveillance, including call recording, email analysis, and webcam monitoring, especially in low-skilled, low-autonomy, and non-unionised jobs. The IPPR has called for updated legislation to ensure transparency and give workers more say in how they are monitored, warning that current laws lag behind technological developments and risk infringing on privacy rights. The Independent, BBC, HR Magazine and the London Evening Standard reported on the findings.

Newspaper Journalism and regulation

The Metropolitan Police were found to have unlawfully seized a journalist’s phone and laptop during a raid on his home last October in relation to a counter-terrorism investigation linked to his posts on X. The court ruled that the police force could not retrospectively use a Production Order to permit the seizure of journalistic material. Whilst the Met has returned the devices, the investigation remains ongoing. The Press Gazette, The National,

IPSO

Statements in open court and apologies

We are not aware of any statements in open court or apologies from the previous week.

New Issued cases

There was one defamation (libel and slander) claim and one misuse of private information claim filed on the media and communication list last week.

Last week in the courts

On Friday 30 May 2025, Johnson J handed down judgement in the case of Amersi v BBC [2025] EWHC 1323 (KB). The claim relates to an article and Panorama broadcast carrying the imputation that there are strong grounds to suspect that the claimant was involved in deals that he knew, or ought to have known, were corrupt whilst working in Uzbekistan for the company, Telia. The defendant maintains that the publications did not cause the claimant serious harm and advances the defences of truth and public interest. The hearing concerned several linked applications to strike out passages from the defence of truth, amend the defence of truth and require the claimant to provide more information.

Johnson J granted the application to amend the defence and refused the application to strike out parts of the defence, except those in relation to the termination of the claimant’s engagement with Telia, which were held to be vexatious and did not give details relevant to the defence of truth [58]. The court refused the application to order the claimant to provide further information, except in respect of the terms of the contract with Telia relating to entertainment. The Solicitors Journal has an article analysing the implications of the case.

Media law in other jurisdictions

Australia

On 26 May 2025, The Supreme Court of Queensland handed down judgement in the case of McVicker v Nine Digital Pty Ltd [2025] QSC 110. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant had published three defamatory articles. In response, the defendant argued it had fulfilled the terms of an accepted offer to make amends, thereby barring any further defamation claim. The court found evidence that the agreed correction was published on the defendant’s websites in the same manner as the original articles and was accessible to a substantial audience. As such, the defendant had discharged its obligations under the accepted offer, and the plaintiff was precluded from pursuing or enforcing a defamation action in relation to the articles.

Canada

On 26 May 2025, the Court of Appeal of Alberta handed down judgement in the case of DeCourcy v Korlak, 2025 ABCA 189. The appeal related to a defamation action in which the plaintiff was granted an interim injunction which required the defendant to take down a Facebook page and stop publishing allegations of fraud against him and his company. The defendants appealed that decision, arguing that the judge erred in applying the correct legal test. The plaintiff’s application to dismiss the appeal was refused as the appeal is neither moot, frivolous, vexatious, without merit, improper, nor an abuse of process. The plaintiff’s application for alternative relief to strike out the defendant’s argument relying on the Fraudulent Preferences Act 2000 was also refused, as they relate to the arguments raised before the first instance judge and do not introduce new evidence.

Europe

DLA Piper’s Privacy Matters Blog has an article analysing the European Commission’s proposed amendments to the GDPR, which attempt to reduce reporting requirements for smaller companies and foster competitiveness. The proposed reforms would extend exemptions from detailed data processing records to firms with fewer than 750 employees. The article suggests that the proposals are more targeted than expected and many smaller businesses will still have to maintain records due to the nature of the data they are processing.

United States

A federal judge has dismissed Richard Montañez’s lawsuit for defamation and fraud against PepsiCo and Frito-Lay for denying his role in inventing Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Judge John Holcomb ruled the claims lacked factual support but allowed Montañez until June 13 to amend the complaint. Montañez, a former janitor turned PepsiCo executive, built a motivational speaking career around his rags-to-riches story, which was challenged following an internal company investigation into his story that received coverage in the LA Times. Reuters, LA Times, The Washington Post and Law360 reported on the ruling.

A Florida judge has allowed President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize Board to proceed. The lawsuit challenges Pulitzers awarded to The New York Times and The Washington Post for their reporting on Russian interference in the 2016 election, which Trump claims was false and defamatory. The Pulitzer Board had argued that the case should be paused until Trump’s term in office concludes and criticised the ruling, warning it could enable Trump to use state courts for political retaliation. The New York Post, The Hill, Times of India, The New Republic, New York Post and Law and Crime News reported on the decision.

Research and Resources

Next week in the courts

On Wednesday 4 June 2025 there will be the return date of the injunction in the case of Lord Chancellor v Persons Unknown KB-2025-001755.

On Wednesday 4 June and Thursday 5 June 2025 there will be a  trial in the data protection case of Kul and Ors v DWF Law LLP KB-2023-004108. 

On Thursday 5 June 2025 there will be the return date of the injunction in the case of AML v LMA KB-2025-001814 .

Reserved judgements

Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon v Associated Newspapers, 6 and 7 May 2025 (Nicklin J).

Clarke v Guardian News and Media, 4 March – 4 April and 11 April 2025 (Steyn J).

This Round Up was compiled by Jasleen Chaggar who is the Legal and Policy Officer at Big Brother Watch.