Court dismisses Assange TV film complaint
A complaint by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange that a television show infringed his privacy by showing footage of him dancing in a nightclub has not been upheld by the UK's communications watchdog Ofcom.
The Australian, currently living inside Ecuador’s embassy in London, complained about the More 4 show 'True Stories: Wikileaks: Secrets And Lies', which tracked the history of the organisation and included interviews with Mr Assange and people who have worked with him.
The show included one minute of footage of Mr Assange, who faces arrest and extradition to Sweden over alleged sexual offences if he sets foot outside the building in Knightsbridge, dancing with commentary on the legal case played over it.
Mr Assange told Ofcom the footage was broadcast without his consent and he had agreed to be filmed on the dancefloor only “on the basis that it would be for the filmmaker’s personal use only”.
In its evidence to the watchdog, Channel 4 said he “did not have a legitimate expectation of privacy in relation to this footage” because it was filmed in a public place and the footage had already been shown “frequently” on television and online.
Ofcom said the complaint should not be upheld and ruled that Mr Assange “did not have a legitimate expectation of privacy” in regard to the footage included in the show, which was broadcast on November 29 last year.
