Inaugural Lecture by Professor Nicole Moreham
This lecture examines what the development of the tort of privacy tells us about the common law and the way it shapes and responds to changing societal values.
Description
The protection of privacy has been at the vanguard of common-law development for the last two decades. Courts in New Zealand, England and Wales have developed new privacy torts protecting against the unwanted exposure of private information and activities. These changes have transformed the legal landscape in which the media, government and private individuals operate. They have also significantly influenced society’s understanding of privacy and its importance.
In this lecture, Professor Nicole Moreham will examine what the development of the tort of privacy tells us about the common law and the way it shapes and responds to changing societal values. Reflecting on her own experience growing up with the privacy torts, she will consider the role of the legal scholar in common law development and show how conversations between the common law and the society it serves enrich both parties to it.