31 Mar PRIVACY: Emma Watson to sue over stolen photographs

Beauty and the Beast star Emma Watson is taking legal action after private photographs of her were stolen and said to have been posted online. Her representatives have said that the photographs are not nudes, but rather photographs from a fitting with a stylist of Ms Watson trying on clothes. Nonetheless those are clearly circumstances in which the former Harry Potter actress would seem highly likely to have a reasonable expectation of privacy; and, therefore, she may well be able to bring an action for misuse of private information against anyone responsible in this country.
This is not the first time famous actresses have suffered leaks of private photographs. In the Spring 2017 edition of zoom-in we reported that hacker Edward Majerczyk was jailed for nine months for stealing nude photographs of 30 celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence.

Watson herself previously received threats that nude photographs of her would be leaked online, apparently in response to her 2014 UN speech about gender equality. In response Ms Watson said: ‘I knew it was a hoax, I knew the pictures didn’t exist…. The minute I stepped up and talked about women’s rights I was immediately threatened…’

Ms Watson’s publicist has confirmed that in this current case lawyers have been instructed.