Browse Hierarchy CCDM028: Online Media Regulation

A key element in the development of the world wide web over the past decade has been its increasing colonisation by commercial interests, including commercial provision of content online. In particular, the media has actively embraced the online world; for instance, the Newspaper Society estimates that in the UK alone, 90% of regional newspapers now have an online presence with at least some degree of archival material available via that route. As technologies converge, the web has become an integral part of content delivery, with not only newspapers but also organisations such as the BBC providing online content which supplements their other services. This module will examine the issues which arise when a number of traditional legal concepts are brought into this online context - in particular, it will consider the application of the law on libel, contempt of court, and copyright as relates to the online delivery of content by the media, as well as looking at the Press Complaints Commission self-regulatory system employed by the press in the UK, which applies equally to online press content. The module will primarily use UK / EU law as a case-study, however, where relevant examples from other jurisdictions will be considered for comparative analytical purposes.