This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Journalists are continually stymied by companies, corporations, councils, government institutions and individuals who cite the data protection act when refusing to provide information.

Many of them appear to know little about the DPA, simply employing it as a convenient way to avoid media scrutiny.

It has tended to tip the balance between the public's right to know and the protection of privacy in favour of the latter.

There is a wider context too. In May, the European Union's court of justice delivered what has been described as a game-changing judgment in a privacy test case.

In recognising a "right to be forgotten", it ruled that Google must delete "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant" data from its search results when a member of the public requests it. The judgment raises serious implications for online publishers.

The European parliament has also removed journalistic exemptions from article 80 of the draft EU data protection regulations, eroding long-established protections relating to press freedom.

In addition, in April, the UK high court awarded damages to Paul Weller's family after deciding that Mail Online had breached the DPA by publishing unpixellated pictures of three of his children while they were walking on a Californian street.

So where should the boundary be drawn? The Media Society and ITN are hosting a debate to explore the shifting data protection regime and to examine the implications for journalists and the publishers of online news archives.

Speakers at the debate, "Rewriting history: is the new era in data protection compatible with journalism?" will discuss whether a balance be struck between freedom of expression and the increasing privacy rights of data subjects.

The panel, chaired by ITN news anchor Alastair Stewart, will include Christopher Graham, the information commissioner; John Whittingdale, chair of the culture and media select committee; John Battle, ITN's head of compliance; Holly Watt, the Daily Telegraph investigations editor; and Anya Proops, a barrister specialising in information law.

Also joining the debate, via Google Hangout, will be Luciano Floridi, a professor of philosophy at Oxford university who acts as an adviser to Google.

It will take place on Monday 14 July, 4.45pm for 5pm, at ITN's headquarters in Gray's Inn Road.

More details here. Entry is free but advance bookings are a must. Go here to book.