On Tuesday 3 November 2026, Nicklin J dismissed the Claimant’s Part 8 claim in the case of PPT v Independent Television News [2026] EWHC 2818 (KB). Two media organisations sought to publish serious allegations about the Claimant’s conduct over a period of years, including allegations that he abused his “power and status as a well-known public figure in order to establish contact with young women.”

The claimant, who denies the allegations, sought to prohibit publication on the basis of his deteriorating mental health, arguing that publication would expose him to a “real and immediate risk of serious harm or death” by suicide in violation of his rights under the ECHR. The defendants, ITN and GNM, submitted that there is no precedent which shows there is a duty to prevent a risk of death in a case relating to the publication of statements which are said to trigger suicidal impulses [169].

The Court held that it was not responsible for the Claimant’s psychiatric treatment or safety, which had instead been assumed by the state through psychiatric hospital and mental-health services. There was therefore no positive duty on the Court under Articles 2 or 3 of the ECHR to prohibit publication. The Court also dismissed the Article 8 claim, as the Claimant did not advance a viable cause of action in light of the fact that private publishers are not subject to positive obligations under the ECHR. The claimant was granted permission to appeal against the ruling and the anonymity order remains in place. Matrix Chambers has a summary. The BBC, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, and The Press Gazette have more information.

On Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November 2026, the Supreme Court heard a challenge to the proscription of Palestine Action under terrorism legislation. The group’s co-founder argued that the ban was disproportionate, infringed freedom of expression and assembly, and undermined public confidence in anti-terrorism laws. The Home Office maintains that the proscription was justified on the basis of the group’s increasingly serious and targeted activities which, they argue, amounted to terrorism. Garden Court North Chambers and DPG Law have more information. The BBC, Reuters, NYT, Sky News, Middle East Eye and Jewish News covered the appeal. Judgement was reserved.

Prince Harry and five other high-profile claimants, including Sir Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, have applied to the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge the High Court’s dismissal of their privacy claims against Associated Newspapers. The proposed appeal also challenges a subsequent costs order requiring the claimants to pay up to £34.5 million in legal costs, following their failure to prove allegations of unlawful information gathering. The BBC, Sky News, The Telegraph, GB News, The Independent, Reuters and LBC reported on the story.

The Metropolitan Police settled an unlawful arrest claim brought by 68-year-old pro-Palestinian activist, conceding that his detention and subsequent arrest under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 were unlawful and breached his privacy, free expression and/or free association rights. The Met accepted that involvement in, support for or funding of lawful political organisations, including the BDS movement and Palestine Solidarity Campaign, cannot alone establish a connection to terrorism, and acknowledged that his arrest was unnecessary. Doughty Street Chambers has more information. The Guardian and The Jewish Chronicle covered the settlement.

Internet and Social Media

The European Commission has issued a preliminary ruling accusing TikTok of failing to adequately protect users’ mental health. The investigation concluded that the platform’s recommendation algorithm exposes young and vulnerable users to repetitive content that may worsen anxiety, body-image issues and eating disorders. TikTok rejected the findings as inaccurate and defended its user-safety measures.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation published its submission to the OHCHR Consultation on Child Rights and Safety in the Digital Environment.

Data privacy and data protection

Supermarkets across at least seven European countries have experienced cyber-attacks targeting refrigeration systems, which have caused fridge and freezer temperatures to rise to as high as 50°C. The incidents follow a similar attack in France that caused fires and millions of euros in food losses. The cyberattacks have led to concerns over food safety and supply chain disruption, as well as the vulnerability of remotely controlled systems to cyber threats. The Guardian, Reuters, BBC and NPR covered the story.

Surveillance

The Communication Workers Union has warned that increasing workplace surveillance and AI-driven monitoring are creating stress, fear and distrust among workers. The union supports proposals requiring employers to consult and negotiate with trade unions before introducing or changing monitoring technologies.

Newspapers, Journalism and Regulation

Russell Brand’s barrister, Ian Winter KC, has referred himself to the Bar Standards Board following allegations that he verbally abused a journalist whose investigation helped bring Brand’s victims forward. The incident, which occurred shortly after Brand’s conviction for rape and sexual assault, raises questions about the standards of professional conduct expected of legal practitioners when dealing with the press . The Times, BBC, The Telegraph, The Press Gazette, The Guardian, The Sun and the London Evening Standard have more information.

IPSO Rulings

Statements in open court and apologies

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

New issued cases

There was one new defamation case  issued in the Media and Communications List this week.

 Last week in the courts

The trial in the case of Amersi v BBC continued on 2 to 6 November 2026 before Tipples J.

As mentioned above, on Tuesday 3 November 2026 Nicklin J handed down judgment in the case of PPT v Independent Television News.

On the same day, Carr LCJ, Sharp P and Chamberlain J handed down judgment in the case of His Majestey’s A-G v BBC [2026] EWHC 2802 (Admin). The Attorney General had previously sought to prevent the BBC from identifying an abusive informant known as Agent X in High Court proceedings. The Admin Court ruled that MI5 will not face contempt of court action, despite the agency admitting to providing false evidence to the High Court and Investigatory Powers Tribunal, as “nothing would be gained” from such proceedings [39]. The judges concluded that further action would be better handled through a police investigation with individual officers potentially facing criminal charges for misconduct in public office or perverting the course of justice. The BBC, Prospect Magazine and Solicitors Journal has more information.

There was also a hearing in the case of Westbrook v CPS and NCA (KB-2026-002576, KB-2026-002717).

On Wednesday 4 November 2026, there was a hearing in the case of Wellbeing International Foundation Limited v Persons Unknown and others (KB-2025-001787).

On Thursday 5 November 2026, there were hearings in the cases of Blake v Fox (KB-2021-001248),  Hanna & anr v Pirbazari (KB-2025-003823) and Magutu v Tesco Stores Ltd (KB-2025-004695).

On Friday 6 November 2026, there was a hearing before Hill J in the case of Baranoff-Rossine v Filmowicz (KB-2023-002426).

On the same day, Guy Vassall-Adams KC handed down judgment in the case of Rixon v Barley & Ors [2026] EWHC 2821 (KB). The claimant, a midwife and maternity safety campaigner, brought a libel claim over social media posts alleging that she had been dishonest about her role in the death of a baby previously in her care. The defendants sought to have the claim struck out on the basis that the pleaded case did not comply with libel claim rules and constituted an abuse of process. The court found that the Claimant had insufficiently particularised her claim [51], but rejected the argument that the claim should be struck out as abuse of process [60]. The claimant was given “one last chance to prepare a proper pleading” with the warning that she faces the burden of persuading the Court “that each of the proposed amendments [to her pleading] has a realistic prospect of success” [61-63].

Media law in other jurisdictions

Australia

On 2 November 2026, the Federal Court of Australia dismissed the defamation proceedings in the case of Mcintyre v Nine Entertainment Co Pty Limited [2026] FCA 1659 after the applicant did not respond to any correspondence from the Court and failed to appear at the first case management hearing.

Canada

On 5 November 2026, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia dismissed the appeal in Schwitzer v Little, 2026 BCCA 440. The appeal arose from a breakdown in relations between business partners and subsequent civil claims and counterclaims. The appellant appealed on the grounds that the trial judge had miscalculated the award and challenged the finding of liability for the respondent’s defamation claim.

Switzerland

On 5 November 2026, the ECtHR handed down judgement in the case of Alonso Radesca and others v Switzerland (Applications nos. 38204/19). The claim arose from a private hospital’s withdrawal from a collective bargaining agreement which led to a strike that was found to be unlawful in the domestic courts. The hospital employees who participated were dismissed and the union secretaries faced criminal sanctions. The Court held that the domestic courts failed to comply with their obligations under Article 11 by applying an unforeseeable interpretation of the law in deeming the strike unlawful and had failed to balance the employees’ freedom of association against the employer’s interests. It also found that criminal convictions for peaceful, non-violent picketing were disproportionate and had an unjustified chilling effect on trade union activity. The 17 applicants who had been dismissed from their jobs were each awarded 10,000 EUR and the four applicants who had faced criminal sanctions were each awarded 5,000 EUR.

United States

President Trump’s second defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over its reporting on his links to Jeffrey Epstein was dismissed with prejudice by a Florida federal court. The judge found that Trump had again failed to establish actual malice, emphasising the newspaper’s thorough investigation and attempts to obtain his comment before publication. The dismissal means that Trump will be unable to bring the claim again before that court. Reuters and Miami Herald covered the ruling.

Research and Resources

Next week in the courts

The trial in the case of Amersi v BBC continues on 8 to 13 November 2026 before Tipples J.

On  Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 November 2026 there will be a hearing in the defamation case of Sowah v Leigh Academies Trust and others (KB-2025-001534)

On Thursday 12 November 2026 there will be a hearing in the case of Evans v Prospect (KB-2024-000030)

On Friday 13 November 2026 there will be hearings in the cases of Sullivan v BBC (KB-2026-003599); Vidal v Rowe (KB-2026-002057) and Libera and another v Woodward (Through Care Team Manager) and another (KB-2026-000142).

Reserved judgements

Docherty v Eccles, heard 29 October 2026 (Hill J)

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