Journalists must carefully consider between publishing information to expose the truth and protecting the rights of those involved.

(CLO) In journalism, there is always a relationship between journalists, public figures and the public. The law protects personal privacy rights and also protects other legitimate rights such as the right to access information, freedom of the press, and the right to work of journalists. Therefore, journalists need to resolve this relationship effectively to create attractive journalistic works while still adhering to professional ethics.

On November 18, the Youth Wave website - Academy of Journalism and Communication organized a seminar on "Protecting privacy in journalism".

The seminar not only aims to raise awareness but also provides an opportunity to research and propose effective solutions to protect privacy, ensure that journalism activities always comply with professional ethics and contribute to building a professional, transparent, and responsible journalism.

The discussion had the participation of three guests: Lawyer Pham Thi Thu Ha - Former judge of Hanoi People's Court; Journalist Do Doan Hoang - Nong Thon Ngay Nay Newspaper (Dan Viet); Journalist Nguyen Ho Tri - Vietnam Television.

Sharing the principles of protecting the privacy of the character, journalist Do Doan Hoang - Nong Thon Ngay Nay Newspaper (Dan Viet) said that when working, he always puts himself in the character's situation. Behind your writings is the honor, even the political life of others.

However, according to journalist Do Doan Hoang, if you are afraid of privacy in everything, you will not dare to write. If you are assigned to write about a sensitive topic such as prostitution, how should you write? You cannot directly ask questions to prostitutes, or when approaching addicts, you cannot directly ask them to let you work.

Journalist Do Doan Hoang - Nong Thon Ngay Nay Newspaper (Dan Viet) shares real-life stories of work.

"We were recently sued by a company because in the course of our work, we reported on cases of young workers being exploited when they were underage. As journalists, our duty is to expose the dark side of society so that the community can be aware and take action. However, there are people involved in sensitive issues who ask us to delete the information, because they are concerned about their privacy and fear of having their identities revealed. Some people even said that if the information was made public, they would commit suicide," said Mr. Hoang.

According to Mr. Do Doan Hoang, journalists must carefully consider between publishing information to expose the truth, and protecting the lives and interests of those involved. This is a big concern between the journalist's right to work and the privacy of those involved in the story.

Journalist Ho Tri - Vietnam Television at the Discussion.

In response to the question, during the course of their work, journalists often prioritize protecting the privacy of which subjects?, journalist Ho Tri - Vietnam Television said that those subjects are vulnerable groups in society. When carrying out topics about vulnerable groups, information needs to be done skillfully, without coercion, and a safe and comfortable environment must be created. At the same time, messages about social responsibility and community benefits are important factors to help them realize the value of sharing their stories.

Journalist Ho Tri added that depending on the country and the working situation, there are different regulations and requirements. In Vietnam, press freedom is somewhat more open, especially in the use of images and personal elements. However, when filming in public or private areas, permission still depends on the situation.

At the discussion, lawyer Pham Thi Thu Ha - Former judge of the Hanoi People's Court said that in practice, the right to privacy is reflected in the Civil Code, Criminal Code, and Press Law. These are sanctions expressed in Article 149 of the 2015 Criminal Code, which specifically stipulates that if the right to privacy is violated, depending on the form, the penalty will be a warning or a fine.

"Legally, I always respect the regulations and have great respect for journalists who are responsible for filming and recording. However, real images can sometimes be viewed from many different perspectives, especially emotionally," emphasized lawyer Pham Thi Thu Ha.

Hoang Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nha-bao-phai-can-nhac-ky-giua-viec-dang-thong-tin-vach-tran-su-that-va-bao-ve-quyen-loi-cua-nhung-nguoi-lien-quan-post321834.html