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Seven breaches privacy in bullying story

Media watchdog rules alleged bullying footage of children should not have been broadcast.

Channel Seven has breached the Commercial Television Code of Practice after mobile phone footage of alleged schoolyard bullying invaded the privacy of several children.

Seven News and Sunday Night episodes broadcast in July and 5 August last year did blur faces and did not name children, but the media watchdog deemed it as highly sensitive as it identified children engaged in anti-social and violent behaviour.

“Public interest issues, including school bullying, can, and indeed should, be explored on news and current affairs programs. In this case it was inappropriate to disclose children’s personal information,” said ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin.

“Broadcasters must exercise special care when dealing with children. It is not good enough for broadcasters to assume that footage is in the public domain and can be broadcast just because it is on social media,” said Ms O’Loughlin.

ACMA has requested Seven remove footage from its website and social media pages. Seven will also bring the breach to the attention of its staff and include it in future code training.

ACMA stated this will be appropriate responses by Seven.

Last week Seven was found in breach over inaccuracy for a report on ‘African Gangs.’

4 Responses

  1. ACMA is weak. It is constantly finding breaches by the networks and, in every single case, they issue a slap on the wrist. I can not recall when ACMA actually issued a fine or a penalty to a network. Seven has no formal “code training”. So that line is just smoke and mirrors.

  2. So ACMA just says “Don’t do that again”, then a few months later they do it again. And then a few months later they’ll do it one more time, and one more time ACMA will just say “don’t do that again – and train your staff or whatever”. When does Seven get any real punishment for their mistakes?

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