Comments on Obsolete: Oh, Icarus.

"resigned to spend more time with his ego&quo...

2012-03-02T12:03:35.716+00:00

"resigned to spend more time with his ego".....

classic line, brightened up my day.

Very little, in practice. My solution would be, d...

2012-03-02T02:46:29.066+00:00

Very little, in practice. My solution would be, despite my initial misgivings, if not what Leveson ends up actually proposing then at least the process of the inquiry: it's shining a light on what was happening both within News International and the police, something that I think will be far more beneficial in the long term than the necessary reforms to press regulation/oversight of the police's relationship with the media.

I also have to say that I think this will end up being very much of its time: the media is changing so drastically and so quickly that by 2020 I honestly think you might only be able to pick up perhaps the Sun (or a successor to it, who knows), Mail and Telegraph in a shop as you do currently. I fear that privacy in the social networking age is only for those of us who hate the bloody places. There's no need to hack someone who already shares every aspect of their life on Facebook/Twitter.

Rather good, Scepticisle. I hope that Sunny picks ...

2012-03-01T23:21:44.718+00:00

Rather good, Scepticisle. I hope that Sunny picks it up for Lib Con.

I am sure that, on reflection, I would have a go at your arguments. But there is something less tangible under the surface. Something about knowing that misdeeds were happening and inability to communicate that knowledge.

Civil rights and basic politeness/honesty were abused by journalists. They knew that they were doing wrong and people who knew them understood that.

How to fix? I don't believe that privacy laws are the answer. The solution is in individual conscience and collective conscience.

And there's the rub. What is the difference between collective conscience and group think?