Does the UK need a privacy law?

[Chil1234]

If so, what would it look like? And in an age when everyone's happy to publish their warts and all selves on Twitter and Facebook, is the whole idea of privacy ridiculous anyway?

In some cases - like a big-name sports star having an affair -I don't think it's particularly 'news' but I don't think it should be officially suppressed. In the case of politicians, high profile journalists or other influential figures, full disclosure has to be the norm. In the case of an ordinary man on the street, there's a stronger argument for protection from public scrutiny because we generally don't have the means to set up injunctions or fight libel cases.

Chil - I really don't know. If we had one, how would it be enforced?

With the rampent growth of Social Media (Facebook, Twiiter, Mumsnet even) secrets do get out pretty quickly. Before too long it'll be like living in a village with several billion inhabitants. Everyone one will have access to everyone else's business.

Although, on the plus side social media might improve people's general behaviours (or at least reduce their hypocrisy levels).

But maybe that makes it more important to legislate?

ok, I did say I didn't know.

rampant .

But aren't our laws just based on a whole mash of make-it-up as we go along, copy and paste from other countries and what has happened before??

Surely, we need to draw a line in the sand and leave it up to the courts to see how the laws are implemented. Laws won't cover everything, but will go a long way to clearing up what is happening at the moment with people using this gap to cover up their sordid pasts ...

How would you administer it? If you make it a criminal offence it would possiblyinvolve the police and a lot of people might not like that. It is v costly: the Civil courts are actually v willing to accept the confidentiality applications these days but costs are prohibitive to all but the rich. It may work possibly if it is the defence of privacy on one's land i.e trespass