View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
August 8, 2011

Guardian journalists adopt privacy principles drawn up by former spy chief

By Dominic wireposts

The Guardian has adopted a new set of principles for journalists to follow when deciding whether or not to breach someone’s privacy in an updated editorial code.
It has adopted the Omand principles, drawn up by former director of the Government’s electronic spying and listening centre GCHQ Sir David Omand.
They suggest that journalists should consider five factors when deciding whether or not to breach someone’s privacy:

1. There must be sufficient cause – the intrusion needs to be justified by the scale of potential harm which might result from it.
2. There must be integrity of motive – the intrusion must be justified in terms of the public good which would follow from publication.
3. The methods used must be in proportion to the seriousness of story and its public interest, using the minimum possible intrusion.
4. There must be proper authority – any intrusion must be authorised at a sufficiently senior level and with appropriate oversight.
5. There must be a reasonable prospect of success: fishing expeditions are not justified.

This clearly goes a lot further than the PCC Editors’ Code which states simply that “editors will be expected to justify intrusions into any individual’s private life without consent”.

Privacy is likely to form a big part of the Leveson Inquiry into press standards which gets under way next month.

Guardian readers’ editor Chris Elliott notes that The Guardian’s updated editorial code also tightens up GNM’s policy on interviews which only appear on condition of a particular product being plugged.

Journalists should not agree to promote through copy, photographs or footnotes the financial interests of prospective interviewees or contributors, or their sponsors, as a means of securing access to them. Promotional information about a subject or author provided in footnotes should be included only where, in the editor’s judgment, it is of genuine interest or assistance to the reader.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Topics in this article : , ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network