By James Simons-
Campaigners want a new law in Caroline Flack’s name that would criminalise “the British media” for pushing someone to suicide.
A petition calling on MPs to “end the harassment and bullying by the British press” after Caroline Flack’s death has been handed in to the British government after receiving a wave of support.
Over 850,000 people have signed the petition on the 38 Degrees website, which calls for “Caroline’s Law”. The proposal would make it a criminal offence for “the British media” to “knowingly and relentlessly bully a person” to the point of where they kill themselves.
TV presenter Flack, who hosted several series of ITV’s Love Island, was found dead at her flat in Stoke Newington, north London, in February. She was 40. Her family’s lawyer said her death was a suicide and an inquest into her death is due to be held in August.
“Politicians need to urgently step in and make sure there are consequences when the media bully and harass,” she added. Ms Flack’s released family later released a post from the late television presenter in which she expressed concern of shame and embarrassment. On valentine’s day, a day before ehr death, The Sun Online posted an article in which the tragic television star was ridiculed.
There is currently no law that holds the British media to account for bullying, though the 1998 Harassment Act can criminalise any member of the public including the media for pursuing a course of conduct that leads to alarm and distress.
The majority of newspapers and magazines in the UK are currently regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) under a set of rules called the Editors’ Code of Practice. IPSO has no powers to criminalise the press for unlawful conduct and are weak in terms of punitive action against the press.