Do journalists have to reveal their sources?

The idea behind reporter’s privilege is that journalists have a limited First Amendment right not to be forced to reveal information or confidential news sources in court. Journalists rely on confidential sources to write stories that deal with matters of legitimate public importance.

Do journalists have ethical obligations not to disclose confidential information?

But everyone, including journalists, has an obligation to respect confidentiality and journalists have also assumed an ethical obligation. 15 If confidential information is not proprietary in nature and there is no proprietary right attached to it, then the mere act of taking is not a ground for liability.

How can a journalist violate privacy?

News-gathering activities may violate a person’s right of privacy if the journalist unreasonably intrudes (physically, electronically, or otherwise) upon an area in which that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. An obvious example would be trespassing.

Can journalists be forced to reveal sources UK?

No court may require a person to disclose, nor is any person guilty of contempt of court for refusing to disclose, the source of information contained in a publication for which he is responsible, unless it be established to the satisfaction of the court that disclosure is necessary in the interests of justice or …

Can media publish confidential information?

A media organisation that acquires information as a result of another’s breach of confidence will be restrained from publishing it from the moment they knew or ought reasonably to have known of its confidential nature.

Are journalists allowed to trespass?

Journalists in the United States and other nations may not enter private property without the consent of the owner or resident, even if they have been accompanying police authorities responding to a situation.

Can journalists invade privacy?

Under what circumstances should confidentiality be granted to sources?

If a person is the only source for a piece of information, you might have a stronger reason to grant confidentiality. You may wish to write, when quoting unnamed sources, that the person “insisted” on not being named.