- public interest
- the usefulness of a piece of information to the public, in matters concerning national security, fraud, medical malpractice, etc., used as a defence against charges of passing on confidential information or of invasion of privacy
Definition
noun
COMMENT Public interest implies that the actions of someone or information held by someone might affect the public in some way: if a newspaper discloses that a group of companies are fixing prices so as not to compete with each other, this disclosure might be held to be in the public interest. If a TV programme reveals that a Member of Parliament apparently took drugs, then this might be held to be in the public interest.