Keeping libel laws out of science - have we succeeded?

10 May 2011, London, United Kingdom

Introduction

The Government published a draft defamation bill and consultation on libel reform in March. Do the proposed reforms prevent the effect on bloggers' free expression by the actions of companies and powerful individuals who use existing libel laws to threaten legal action over things they don't like? And should legislation ensure that peer-reviewed academic and scientific publications are 'privileged' and thus immune from libel suits. A panel of experts will discuss the issue.