Social Media Law In The U.K.: Legal Gatekeeping, Self-Lawyering And Information Flow

• In Event: Social Media Law in the Global 21st Century: An International and Comparative Perspective

Abstract

Social media and law are central to several U.K. government policy areas: on “revenge porn,” counter-terrorism, and cyber-security, for example. In recent years, English law has adapted to social media, considering tweets and blogs in civil claims of defamation and privacy and allowing prosecution of criminal offences involving “communications sent via social media.” Undoubtedly, social media practice is fast shaping communication law. Simultaneously, an individual’s understanding of law—whether well-founded or misconstrued—influences their social practice. This paper, focusing on England and Wales, suggests that to understand freedom of expression and information flow in this context, it is necessary to look at the resource of the individual social media user. Often a more significant factor than the substantive law is the legal support available to a social media user: access to tailored guidance and advice; education and training; and the financial backing to defend a case.

Author

• Judith Townend, U of London