Please join us for an insightful and thought-provoking discussion around freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech and issues around slander, libel and defamation generally, both in print and on social media have in recent months been frequently in the headlines, as has discussion around confidentiality and privacy. Members of the Faculty of Advocates, RSA Fellows and their guests are invited to register to attend this event.
The RSA Fellows’ Media, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage Network has held media regulation events with the Faculty in the past (for example with speakers from IPSO and the former PCC) and is grateful to the Dean of Faculty for consent on this occasion for use of the Mackenzie Building.
Issues which may arise also include the role of Universities in maintaining freedom of speech, fake news, The Leveson Inquiry and Report, ethics, fact checking, social media overall and, of course, algorithms and their potential misuse (and not only in elections). Who will comment on algorithmic frenzy and its capacity for damage and to dehumanise? It may also touch on aspects of media regulation and IPSO. When registering, attendees have the option of posing a question, so that issues may be collated and themed as appropriate. Our expert panel, diverse in experience and perspectives, is listed below in alphabetical order but may speak in a different order.
There will be an opportunity to network over coffee between 1730 and 1800 before the event.
Speakers
Dr Paolo Cavaliere joined the University of Edinburgh Law School in September 2014. He is a Senior Lecturer and researches and teaches courses on freedom of expression, media law and communications law. He was previously a researcher at the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policies of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies of the University of Oxford. He is currently a member of SCRIPT, a law and technology research centre based in the School of Law within the University of Edinburgh, a research associate at the University of Oxford’s Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy and a non-resident research fellow of the Central European University’s Centre for Media, Data and Society. He has also provided expertise on telecommunications and media law to a range of NGOs and international organisations, including the African Union's Mission to Somalia and the Council of Europe among others. The University of Edinburgh website shows the range of his publications which include not only “Fake News & Media Freedom during the Covid 19 Pandemic” but also an analysis on the draft media of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Magnus Linklater is a commentator, columnist, and former Scotland editor of the Times. He was editor of the Scotsman from January 1988 until July 1994. Born in Orkney, he is the son of the Scottish author, Eric Linklater, and was educated at Belhaven Hill School and Eton College. He went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, before taking up a career in journalism. He worked on the Daily Express in Manchester, the Evening Standard, where he was editor of the Londoner’s Diary, the Sunday Times, where he was magazine editor, news editor and executive editor (features), before moving to The Observer, where he became managing editor (news). He was appointed editor of the London Daily News in 1986, then moved to the Scotsman, which he edited for six and a half years, before joining the Times. Magnus is the author of several books on current affairs and Scottish history. He is a former chairman of the Scottish Arts Council, Convenor of the Saltire Trust, Chairman of the Little Sparta Trust, and holds honorary degrees from the universities of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. His late wife Veronica - Baroness Linklater of Butterstone - was a Liberal Democrat life peer. Magnus was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to the arts and media in Scotland.
Richard Pugh was called to the bar in 2008 and took silk in 2022. He has a wide-ranging civil practice, which includes aspects of both private and public law. Between 2015 and 2022 Richard was a standing junior counsel to the Advocate General and between 2019 and 2022 was the Clerk to the Faculty of Advocates. Richard’s practice has included cases involving both defamation and privacy law.
Taking part in RSA in-person events
To participate in this event, you will need to register for a ticket for capacity purposes. We encourage all attendees who are ill or showing symptoms of illness to stay home and cancel their tickets if they are no longer able to join us.
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