To remove wholly the threat of a defamation action – by giving youngpeople absolute privilege, for example – could raise issues under the EuropeanConvention on Human Rights since it would impact upon the rights of apotentially defamed person.At present, a person whoreports concerns to an appropriate authority because they have a moral orsocial duty to do so will benefit from the protection of qualified privilege.Qualified privilege will protect a person from a claim of defamation unless itcan be proved that the person making the defamatory statement was motivated bymalice.Our view is that anyunderlying concerns in this area are best...