The topic of what's in the public interest and what constitutes as a right to privacy is rather interesting. We have here the roles of journalists - to seek the truth, convey information, and to inform citizens. But on what grounds do journalists have the right to invade someone's privacy?
This then depends on one's code of conduct, morals and ethical integrity, on top of the ruling laws regarding privacy in each individual country or state. But there are still certain situations in which the code of ethics are rather ambiguous in what is right or wrong.
For example, what makes certain information gained from public figures for the publics' interest? How do you define and identify what is of the publics' interest in the first place? Such questions need to be asked and thought about thoroughly before any journalists commit their time and effort in pursuing that news story.
Another interesting dilemma is in the case of celebrities. They willingly and knowingly walk into roles that puts them in the eyes of the public, so does that gives us the right to poke and probe into every aspect of their lives? They are just humans after all, so where do we draw the line on what to report on?
At the end of the day, it depends on the individual journalist to decide and make the call based on their own set of ethical guidelines. Of course, external factors do play a part as well, for example the difference between reporting in an Eastern or Western culture, so journalists are always walking on tightropes when submitting news pieces.
This then depends on one's code of conduct, morals and ethical integrity, on top of the ruling laws regarding privacy in each individual country or state. But there are still certain situations in which the code of ethics are rather ambiguous in what is right or wrong.
For example, what makes certain information gained from public figures for the publics' interest? How do you define and identify what is of the publics' interest in the first place? Such questions need to be asked and thought about thoroughly before any journalists commit their time and effort in pursuing that news story.
Another interesting dilemma is in the case of celebrities. They willingly and knowingly walk into roles that puts them in the eyes of the public, so does that gives us the right to poke and probe into every aspect of their lives? They are just humans after all, so where do we draw the line on what to report on?
At the end of the day, it depends on the individual journalist to decide and make the call based on their own set of ethical guidelines. Of course, external factors do play a part as well, for example the difference between reporting in an Eastern or Western culture, so journalists are always walking on tightropes when submitting news pieces.
