Examples
You are in a petrol station and see Greta Thunberg filling up a large 4x4 with petrol. You take a
photograph of her which she asks you to delete, what can you do?
- You can publish the content. Although it denies her article 8, it can be understood as being
hypocrisy defence, as she has clearly built her reputation and image on an ideology which she
does not stand by.
1. Real evidence of this argument is when Rio Ferdinand was found to have cheated on
his wife with several women despite having a reputation of a family man with public
endorsements relying on this personality. This was justified as being in the public
interest, due to the hypocrisy.
A public figure is seen going to a hospital, can you publish
this visit?
- No, it is an infringement on his article 8, which
acknowledges one’s health is an element of their
privacy - as clarified in 2004 in the case of The
Mirror v Naomi Campbell.
- However, it can be published if for example the
subject was the health secretary who went to a
private hospital after he had preached about how
amazing the NHS is.
1. Real evidence of this argument would be
Naomi Campbell Vs The Mirror - after
they published a story of her attending
rehab (in favour)
2. Real evidence against this argument would
be when, in 2015, Lord Sewel of the
House of Lords was pictured by The Sun
snorting cocaine, they successfully argued
that this was in the public interest as it was
hypocritical
13
You are in a petrol station and see Greta Thunberg filling up a large 4x4 with petrol. You take a
photograph of her which she asks you to delete, what can you do?
- You can publish the content. Although it denies her article 8, it can be understood as being
hypocrisy defence, as she has clearly built her reputation and image on an ideology which she
does not stand by.
1. Real evidence of this argument is when Rio Ferdinand was found to have cheated on
his wife with several women despite having a reputation of a family man with public
endorsements relying on this personality. This was justified as being in the public
interest, due to the hypocrisy.
A public figure is seen going to a hospital, can you publish
this visit?
- No, it is an infringement on his article 8, which
acknowledges one’s health is an element of their
privacy - as clarified in 2004 in the case of The
Mirror v Naomi Campbell.
- However, it can be published if for example the
subject was the health secretary who went to a
private hospital after he had preached about how
amazing the NHS is.
1. Real evidence of this argument would be
Naomi Campbell Vs The Mirror - after
they published a story of her attending
rehab (in favour)
2. Real evidence against this argument would
be when, in 2015, Lord Sewel of the
House of Lords was pictured by The Sun
snorting cocaine, they successfully argued
that this was in the public interest as it was
hypocritical
13
