Padraig Reidy: A disgraceful use of the Communications Act

The prosecution of Pastor James McConnell under the Communications Act is the action of a prosecution service more interested in appearing to be liberal than upholding justice and rights

Has Ireland reintroduced criminal libel?

An Irish court has created a precedent where damage to a person’s reputation could lead to criminal sanction -- and no one seems to have noticed, writes Padraig Reidy

Index interview: Keir Starmer

The Director of Public Prosecutions talks to Padraig Reidy about social media and free speech. Plus, read Index on Censorship's response to the CPS guidelines on social media

Is this America's Twitter Joke Trial?

Padraig Reidy: Is this America's Twitter Joke Trial?

Social media guidelines: Nice start, but still a long way to go

Padraig Reidy: Social media guidelines: Nice start, but still a long way to go

High threshold set for social media prosecutions

Guidelines issued today on when criminal charges should be brought against people posting offensive or abusive comments on social media sites could boost free speech Plus: Read the guidelines here Index Press Release: Social media guidelines recognise there is no right not to be offended

Facebook and Twitter prosecutions – the animation

Padraig Reidy: Facebook and Twitter prosecutions - the animation

Paul Chambers responds to DPP announcement on social media prosecutions

Paul Chambers responds to DPP announcement on social media prosecutions

Prosecutor to launch consultation on social media guidelines

The Director of Public Prosecutions has announced a consultation to establish clear guidelines on prosecutions involving social media . In a statement on The Crown Prosecution Service website announcing that footballer Daniel Thomas — investigated for allegedly homophobic tweets about Olympic divers Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield — will not be prosecuted, Keir Starmer QC said: “To ensure that […]

Twitter joke trial on Airstrip One

Christopher Hitchens believed that the battle for free speech is “an all out confrontation between the ironic and the literal mind”. Today at the Royal Courts of Justice, a significant blow was struck for the forces of irony, humour and free speech against the dead, literal, bureaucratic mind. Paul Chambers’ ordeal, which ended today when […]

Twitter joke trial decision a victory for free speech

Index on Censorship welcomes today’s decision in the high court to overturn the conviction of Paul Chambers in what has become known as the Twitter Joke Trial

UK: Paul Chambers wins Twitter Joke Trial appeal

Paul Chambers, the man at the centre of the Twitter Joke Trial who was found guilty in 2010 of sending a “menacing” tweet, has won his appeal against his conviction. At the Royal Courts of Justice this morning the appeal was allowed “on the basis that this tweet did not constitute or include a message […]