Modern journalism must balance public interest and privacy in a 24/7 digital news cycle. Learn how ethical reporters decide what to publish.
In the age of livestreams, viral clips and 24-hour news cycles, the line between what the public needs to know and what individuals have a right to keep private has never been blurrier.
For journalists, respecting privacy is not just a courtesy – it’s a core ethical responsibility and a constant balancing act.
Every day, reporters and editors must decide what information genuinely serves the public interest and what risks unnecessary harm, intrusion or exploitation. From covering breaking news and crime to handling user-generated content and social media material, modern journalism presents countless situations where privacy, accuracy and accountability collide.
This workshop is presented in two formats, both using the same source material from Media Helping Media.
The first is a two-hour workshop designed for those who are already familiar with the topic but who would like to deepen their understanding. The second is a four-hour, half-day workshop for those who are new to the topic.
Trainers are invited to select and adapt the format that best meets the needs of those they are training. For the activity sections of the workshop trainers should source locally relevant material when examples of the topic being covered are needed.
The source material for this workshop is respecting privacy as a journalist. We suggest trainers circulate the source to participants material BEFORE the workshop giving them enough time to read and digests the concepts discussed.
Workshop outline 1: Two-hour session
Timetable
- 09:00 – 09:45: First session
- 09:45 – 10:00: Break
- 10:00 – 10:45: Second session
- 10:45 – 11:00: Final discussion and assignment
09:00 – 09:45: First session
- Aims: To explore the tension between the right to privacy and the public interest, and to define the ethical boundaries of intrusive newsgathering.
- Presentation: Focus on the definition of privacy as anything a person might reasonably expect to keep from becoming public knowledge. Discuss the public interest test, where investigations into crime, corruption, or neglect may justify an intrusion. Explain the role of the journalist not as a judge or jury, but as a factual reporter.
- Activity: Scenario: A high-ranking local official is seen entering a private medical clinic known for treating substance abuse. A journalist receives a photo of the official at the reception desk from an anonymous source. Participants must determine if publishing this photo is justified. They should identify the tension between the official’s right to medical privacy and the public’s right to know if a leader is fit for office.
- Discussion: Debate the ethics of using the photo. At what point does a public figure’s private health become a matter of public concern?
10:00 – 10:45: Second session
- Aims: To understand the specific ethical requirements for secret recordings and door-stepping.
- Presentation: Outline the criteria for secret recordings: there must be a clear public interest, and an open approach must be unlikely to succeed. Discuss door-stepping (approaching someone for an interview without prior arrangement) and the necessity of persistence versus the right to refuse.
- Activity: Scenario: A local business is suspected of dumping toxic waste into a river, but they refuse to answer calls. A reporter considers using a hidden camera to film the waste pipes at night. Participants should draft a brief justification for their editor. The text must include the public interest at stake, the reason an open approach failed, and how the recording will be verified.
- Discussion: When does persistence turn into harassment? How does your news organisation currently handle requests for secret filming?
Workshop outline 2: Four-hour session
Timetable
- 09:00 – 10:00: First session
- 10:00 – 10:15: Break
- 10:15 – 11:15: Second session
- 11:15 – 11:30: Break
- 11:30 – 12:30: Third session
- 12:30 – 13:00: Final discussion and assignment
09:00 – 10:00: First session
- Aims: To establish a foundational understanding of privacy ethics and the use of user-generated content (UGC).
- Presentation: Define privacy and the importance of fairness and respect. Explain user-generated content (material recorded by the public and shared on social media). Emphasise that even if material is in the public domain, it requires editorial consideration and verification by at least two independent sources.
- Activity: Scenario: A video goes viral showing a police officer allegedly accepting a bribe. The video was filmed by a passer-by. Participants must list the steps they would take to verify this UGC before broadcasting it. They should identify the need for clear labelling if the material cannot be fully verified.
- Discussion: Why is audience trust harder to win than to lose? How does unverified UGC impact the credibility of a newsroom?
10:15 – 11:15: Second session
- Aims: To examine the ethics of secret recordings, door-stepping, and tag-along scenarios.
- Presentation: Detail the approval process for secret recordings, including the need for a senior editorial log. Define a tag-along scenario (accompanying officials like police on raids). Explain the requirement to seek consent from property occupiers unless there is a clear public interest.
- Activity: Scenario: A journalist tags along with a government task force raiding a suspected illegal factory. The owner demands the camera be turned off. Participants must decide whether to continue filming and justify their decision based on the public interest test.
- Discussion: Review the legal versus ethical implications of trespassing during a tag-along.
11:30 – 12:30: Third session
- Aims: To address the sensitive reporting of suffering, distress, and graphic material.
- Presentation: Discuss the different reactions journalists face when visiting those in grief. Explain why funerals are generally private affairs. Cover the ethical use of graphic material: avoid executions, gratuitous close-ups, and ensure news values are applied globally (treating victims far away with the same respect as local victims).
- Activity: Scenario: A major transport accident has occurred. A journalist is sent to the home of a victim. The family is visibly distressed and asks the journalist to leave. Participants should discuss the professional way to handle this, such as leaving a polite note rather than persistent knocking.
- Discussion: How do we balance the audience’s expectation to see tragedy with the need to protect the privacy of the grieving?
Assignment
Participants are required to identify a current local news story that involves a potential conflict between privacy and public interest. They must write a 300-word editorial justification for how they would cover the story, specifically addressing consent, the public interest test, and any potential use of secret recording or door-stepping.
Materials needed for the workshop
- Printouts or digital copies of the Media Helping Media source article.
- Notebooks and pens.
- Flipchart and markers for group discussions.
- A projector for presenting key definitions and scenario prompts.
Assessment
- Participation: Engagement in session discussions and the ability to articulate the public interest test.
- Activity Performance: The clarity and ethical soundness of the justifications provided in the fictitious scenarios.
- Assignment Evaluation: Assessing the final written assignment for its application of British English, sentence case headings, and correct use of privacy definitions.
Conclusion
This workshop has explored the complex balance journalists must maintain between the right to privacy and the duty to inform the public. By understanding the public interest test, the ethics of secret recording, and the sensitive handling of grief, journalists can produce robust investigations that remain ethical and fair. For further reading, please refer to the source material: respecting privacy as a journalist.
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