Fishburn Hedges

23.05.2011

By the time I post these words on the blog this afternoon, events relating to the super injunction may well have moved on again, either as a result of events at the High Court or in Parliament.  But fascinating as the events themselves are, it is the extraordinary spotlight they shine on the way in which social media is drawing out the best and worst in our society which is really intriguing. 

Few would challenge the view that the freedom of the press is an important foundation stone for free and fair society, and it is something to be cherished and protected.  But how much of the current storm is really based on this noble objective?  Of course this is the line the media are pushing…..but at the same time, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that scandal and sensation, irrespective of public interest, are one of the best ways of a beleaguered industry to make money.  So self interest or moral high ground from the media?   Surely at least every bit as much the former as the latter.

But what of the world at large? (I’m not sure you can use the term “community” to describe the endlessly diverse collection of people populating Twitter).  How many of those re-tweeting the name of the footballer see themselves as striking a blow for freedom?  And how many are caught up in the hype, and haven’t really stopped to think about the fact that this story is about a real person, and that privacy, in the right context is important for all of us. 

It was perhaps the taunting football fans on Sunday, who were in no way deterred by the footballer’s wife being in the stadium, which confirmed my concern that in this case Twitter has become the tool of the mob not the stage for the freedom fighter.  I am probably one of the few who thinks, in this case at least, that the injunction should hold.

Posted by Fiona Thorne