There's a 'live defence' in TV and radio on condition the broadcasters can demonstrate they dealt with and distanced themselves from the comments as quickly as possible.

I believe it does also apply to online material but I'm not up-to-date with media law these days.

I speak as someone who has been more ambivalent about some of the issues raised here but I think that mentioning a person's private life in this way can only backfire and do much more harm than good.

That said I was disappointed about the vitriol on the Dulwich forum levelled against anyone who might dare to be less than 100 percent ecstatic about the idea of a nursery with 30 occupants (staff and children) opening next door. Accusing people of being 'embittered child haters' and so on doesn't elevate the cause much either. But granted, it's not legally dodgy.