In a huge victory for press freedom in the UK, state spying bodies will no longer be able to easily access journalists’ emails, calls and texts.
Under the Investigatory Powers Act, state bodies could previously search for confidential journalistic material without needing permission. They collected this data through ‘bulk’ interception and hacking devices, leaving communications between journalists and their sources at risk.
During a legal challenge earlier this year pursued by Liberty, represented by Bhatt Murphy, the previous Government conceded that state bodies must secure permission to handle journalistic material.
From Monday 14 October 2024, bodies such as MI5 and MI6 must now secure independent authorisation from the Investigatory Powers Commissioner before searching for or holding onto such material obtained through their ‘bulk’ interception of data and hacking of people’s devices.
Shamik Dutta and Caleb Simpson at Bhatt Murphy act for Liberty instructing Ben Jaffey KC at Blackstone Chambers and David Heaton and Sophie Bird at Brick Court Chambers.
See press release by Liberty here.