Should the media have published the images of the kidnapped children rescued in Oyo State last week based on the code of ethics for journalists in Nigeria?
This question is based on concerns that the publication might have been a violation of the code.
Section 9, subsection 1 of the 2022 revised code titled CHILDREN AND MINORS
states that “A journalist should not identify, either by name or picture, or interview children under the age of 16 who are involved in cases concerning sexual offences, crimes, rituals, or witchcraft, whether as victims, witnesses, or defendants.”
“Appropriate adults’ consent should be sought when interviewing children in situations concerning their welfare,” the section stated.
Executive Director of Roundcheck, Caleb Ijeoma, whose post on the issue of the publication of the picture on LinkedIn generated lots of comments, said the publication of the pictures is “a clear violation of the media law and ethics in Nigeria, and other laws guiding the noble journalism profession, which requires that faces of children/minors should be blurred.”
“It was sad to see how reputable platforms published the faces of these children, prioritising quick publications that threaten their digital privacy. Children’s faces should be blurred to protect their privacy, ensure physical safety, and prevent psychological trauma, and media houses flouted this important ethic.
“This can leave a bad precedent for student journalists who are growing to become better in the space,” Ijeoma noted.
Virtually all those who commented on the post agreed with him that the media houses should have refrained from splashing the pictures of the children on their front pages in accordance with the ethics of the profession.
Development Economist, Oluranti Diran, said the matter raises a critical issue that even extends beyond journalism into child protection, safeguarding and responsible knowledge management. I speak from an International Development perspective.
“While informing the public is important, the best interests of the child must always take precedence. This is a non-negotiable.
Publishing identifiable images of rescued child victims risks a potential clash with Article 3 and Article 16 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Nigeria’s Child Rights Act 2003. It also runs contrary to the Nigerian Code of Ethics for Journalists.
“Before rushing to file reports like this, the protocol should be straightforward: blur or conceal children’s identities; obtain informed consent only where legally appropriate; avoid publishing personally identifiable information; adopt a trauma-informed reporting approach; and ensure editorial review includes a child safeguarding and data protection checklist before publication.”
An editor who prefers not to be named agrees that there is a serious ethical issue since the children are minors who should be protected and ordinarily should not have their faces in the papers, let alone on the covers.
He, however, noted the publication presents an ethical dilemma because the story is a case of public interest.
“An editor will then have to decide if the right of the public to know outweighs the protection of the rights of the children. Evidently, most papers used their pictures because of the overwhelming public interest. But in my opinion, some media houses went too far by then interviewing the minors without shielding their faces or their names. That is not justifiable.”
Chief Executive Officer and Editor-in-Chief of Diamond Publication Limited, Mr Lanre Idowu, also believes that the publication is a “double-edged issue.”
” On the one hand, the coverage exposed the children to intense media glare on a sensitive matter that had troubled the public conscience for about two months. Reporting on them as a collective was one thing. Showing their faces on air and in print was another. Suddenly, their identities were in the public domain.”
“On the other hand, because it was a matter of public interest, it was important to assure the public that the children had truly been released and were in relative safety. The media could not be expected to report on their safety without showing their images.”
He, however, noted that to their credit, the media refrained from subjecting them to interviews. On balance, I believe the coverage was handled with sufficient sensitivity and responsibility.”
Asked if he thinks generally there is a good compliance level with ethics by journalists and media houses in the country, Mr Idowu said: ” An embarrassing number of practitioners still do not know enough about the ethics of the profession.”
According to him, the notion of ethical compliance needs to be continuously enriched with regular training.
I believe such a publication does not violate their rights so long as it is for their good.
And the good here meets the primary purpose for their rescue, which is for protection as stipulated by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC,1989). The CRC, (1989) also says that it must be in the best interest of the child. In this case, it is in their best interest. It was meant to create awareness that they are rescued and safe. These children are not in conflict with the law.
However, it can violate the law if it exposes their trauma/dignity, it is for commercial purposes, and the failure to stop using such pictures post-rescue, especially after they have been reunited with their families.
A lecturer at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Mrs Oruoma Odum, I believe such publication does not violate the rights of the children so long as it is for their good.
“And the good here meets the primary purpose for their rescue, which is for protection as stipulated by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC,1989). The CRC (1989) also says that it must be in the best interest of the child. In this case, it is in their best interest. It was meant to create awareness that they are rescued and safe. These children are not in conflict with the law.”
She, however, said the publication can violate the law if it exposes their trauma/dignity, it is for commercial purposes, and the failure to stop using such pictures,post-rescue, especially after they have been re-united with their families.
Veteran judicial editor Richard Akinola also thinks the publication of the pictures is not an ethical breach in this circumstance.
“When they were abducted, all their pictures were released. I think circumstances where there may be ethical breaches, based on the provisions of the code, are when the underage are victims of rape/sexual assaults and when they appear as witnesses in court.”
CODE OF ETHICS FOR NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS
