Zasady etyki

WBO Media działa zgodnie z przepisami i zasadami etyki wyznaczonymi przez regulatora rynku prasowego w Wielkiej Brytanii „Impress”.

Wszelkie skargi na temat działalności portalu Wielka Brytania Online (WBO24) można kierować do Impress poprzez załączony poniżej link do formularza:

https://www.wbo24.co.uk/s/5/making-a-complaint

Przepisy i zasady etyki znajdują się pod niżej zamieszczonym linkiem:

https://www.impress.press/standards/

The IMPRESS Standards Code is a modern Code that aims to assist journalists by promoting and supporting their work. It also aims to protect the public from invasive journalistic practices and unethical news reporting.

The Code is practical and responsive to emerging challenges in the digital era including issues like verifying the authenticity of sources and information and using content from social media.

THE IMPRESS
STANDARDS CODE

PREAMBLE TO THE IMPRESS STANDARDS CODE

Journalism plays a crucial role in
society. Every day, journalists report
significant events, policies and
controversies, expose wrongdoing,
challenge unfairness and satirise,
amuse and entertain. Such power
comes with responsibility. IMPRESS
aims to ensure that journalists
behave responsibly, while protecting
their role to investigate and report
freely.

All publishers regulated by IMPRESS
agree to abide by the following
rules, which together constitute the
IMPRESS Standards Code. This Code
seeks to balance the rights of the
public, journalists and publishers.
The Code should be read alongside
the guidance, which provides
information about what these rules
mean in practice.

This Code is intended to be:

(a) A practical working tool that
enables journalists, editors and
publishers to do their jobs;

(b) Easily understood by the public;
and,

Publishers will be held directly
responsible for compliance with
this Code, which applies to all
content and newsgathering
activities for which publishers are
responsible under the terms of their
Regulatory Scheme Agreement with
IMPRESS, regardless of the medium
or platform of publication. All
references here to publishers apply
equally to anyone acting under a
publisher’s authority. All references
here to journalists apply equally
to anyone acting in a journalistic
capacity.

This Code is distinct from the law
and publishers are separately
responsible for ensuring that they
comply with the law.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

PUBLIC INTEREST

In certain circumstances, there may
be a public interest justification for a
particular method of newsgathering
or publication of an item of content
that might otherwise breach the Code.
Where a public interest exception may
apply, this is identified in the relevant
clause. A public interest means that
the public has a legitimate stake in a
story because of the contribution it
makes to a matter of importance to
society. Such interests include, but are
not limited to, the following:

(a) The revelation or discussion
of matters such as serious
incompetence or unethical
behaviour that affects the public;

(b) Putting the record straight where an
individual or organisation has misled
the public on a matter of public
importance;

(d) The proper administration of
government;

(e) Open, fair and effective justice;

(f) Public health and safety;

(g) National security;

(h) The prevention and detection of
crime; and

(i) The discussion or analysis of artistic
or cultural works.

The following provisions apply where
a publisher is about to undertake
an action that they think would
otherwise breach the Code, but
for which they believe they have
a public interest justification. The
action might be a particular method
of newsgathering or publication
of an item of content. Before
undertaking the action, the publisher
should, where practicable, make
a contemporaneous note, which
establishes why they believe that:

(a) The action is in the public interest;

(b) They could not have achieved the
same result using measures that are
compliant with the Code;

(d) Any likely harm caused by the
action does not outweigh the public
interest in the action.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

1. ACCURACY

1.1. Publishers must take all reasonable steps to ensure accuracy.

1.2. Publishers must correct any significant inaccuracy with due
prominence, which should normally be equal prominence, at
the earliest opportunity.

1.3. Publishers must always distinguish clearly between statements
of fact, conjecture and opinion.

1.4. Whilst free to be partisan, publishers must not misrepresent or
distort the facts.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

2. ATTRIBUTION & PLAGIARISM

2.1. Publishers must take all reasonable steps to identify and credit
the originator of any third party content.

2.2. Publishers must correct any failure to credit the originator of
any third party content with due prominence at the earliest
opportunity.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

3. CHILDREN

3.1. Except where there is an exceptional public interest, publishers
must only interview, photograph, or otherwise record or publish
the words, actions or images of a child under the age of 16 years
with the consent of the child or a responsible adult and where this
is not detrimental to the safety and wellbeing of the child. While a
child should have every opportunity to express his or her wishes,
journalists have a responsibility to consider carefully the age and
capacity of the child to consent. Unless there is a detriment to the
safety and wellbeing of a child, this provision does not apply to
images of general scenes.

3.2. Except where there is an exceptional public interest, publishers must
not identify a child under the age of 16 years without the consent
of the child or a responsible adult unless this is relevant to the story
and not detrimental to the safety and wellbeing of the child.

3.3. Publishers must give reasonable consideration to the request of
a person who, when under the age of 16 years, was identified in
their publication and now wishes the online version of the relevant
article(s) to be anonymised.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

4. DISCRIMINATION

4.1. Publishers must not make prejudicial or pejorative reference to a
person on the basis of that person’s age, disability, mental health,
gender reassignment or identity, marital or civil partnership status,
pregnancy, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation or another
characteristic that makes that person vulnerable to discrimination.

4.2. Publishers must not refer to a person’s disability, mental health,
gender reassignment or identity, pregnancy, race, religion or sexual
orientation unless this characteristic is relevant to the story.

4.3. Publishers must not incite hatred against any group on the basis of
that group’s age, disability, mental health, gender reassignment or
identity, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy, race, religion,
sex or sexual orientation or another characteristic that makes that
group vulnerable to discrimination.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

5. HARASSMENT

5.1 Publishers must ensure that journalists do not engage in
intimidation.

5.2 Except where justified by the public interest, publishers must
ensure that journalists:

a. Do not engage in deception;

b. Always identify themselves as journalists and provide the name
of their publication when making contact; and

c. Comply immediately with any reasonable request to desist from
contacting, following or photographing a person.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

6. JUSTICE

6.1 Publishers must not significantly impede or obstruct any
criminal investigations or prejudice any criminal proceedings.

6.2 Publishers must not directly or indirectly identify persons
under the age of 18 who are or have been involved in criminal
or family proceedings, except as permitted by law.

6.3 Publishers must preserve the anonymity of victims of sexual
offences, except as permitted by law or with the express
consent of the person.

6.4 Publishers must not make payments, or offer to make
payments, to witnesses or defendants in criminal proceedings,
except as permitted by law.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

7. PRIVACY

7.1 Except where justified by the public interest, publishers must respect
people’s reasonable expectation of privacy. Such an expectation may
be determined by factors that include, but are not limited to, the
following:

a. The nature of the information concerned, such as whether it
relates to intimate, family, health or medical matters or personal
finances;

b. The nature of the place concerned, such as a home, school or
hospital;

c. How the information concerned was held or communicated, such
as in private correspondence or a personal diary;

d. The relevant attributes of the person, such as their age, occupation
or public profile; and

e. Whether the person had voluntarily courted publicity on a relevant
aspect of their private life.

7.2 Except where justified by the public interest, publishers must:

a. Not use covert means to gain or record information;

b. Respect privacy settings when reporting on social media content; and

c. Take all reasonable steps not to exacerbate grief or distress
through intrusive newsgathering or reporting.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

8. SOURCES

8.1 Publishers must protect the anonymity of sources where
confidentiality has been agreed and not waived by the source,
except where the source has been manifestly dishonest.

8.2 Publishers must take reasonable steps to ensure that
journalists do not fabricate sources.

8.3 Except where justified by an exceptional public interest,
publishers must not pay public officials for information.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

9. SUICIDE

9.1 When reporting on suicide or self-harm, publishers must not
provide excessive details of the method used or speculate on
the motives.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

10. TRANSPARENCY

10.1 Publishers must clearly identify content that appears to
be editorial but has been paid for, financially or through a
reciprocal arrangement, by a third party.

10.2 Publishers must ensure that significant conflicts of interest are
disclosed.

10.3 Publishers must ensure that information about financial
products is objectively presented and that any interests or
conflicts of interest are effectively disclosed.

10.4 Publishers must correct any failure to disclose significant
conflicts of interest with due prominence at the earliest
opportunity.

The IMPRESS Standards Code

IMPRESS: THE INDEPENDENT MONITOR FOR THE PRESS

16-18 NEW BRIDGE STREET

LONDON

EC4V 6AG

T: 020 3325 4288

E: [email protected]S.PRESS