Use in news reports of pictures from social networking sites

Key Editorial Standards Excerpts of key editorial standards relevant to this Guidance Note are set out below. Mandatory referral 5.9 An appropriately senior ABC person designated for the purpose must approve in advance, having considered the applicable editorial standards, any proposal: a to use secret recording during the production of content commissioned, produced or co-produced by the ABC; or b to broadcast or publish material obtained by deception; or c to broadcast or publish without attribution information that forms the basis of a report and the ABC is to be committed to protect the identity of the source of the information; or d not to honour an assurance given in relation to conditions of participation, use of content, confidentiality or anonymity. Mandatory Referrals Under editorial standard 5.9, it is mandatory for an appropriately senior ABC person, having consulted ABC Legal, to approve in advance the use of a secret recording device or the broadcast or publication of material obtained by deception. Use in news reports of pictures from social networking sites Social networking sites contain pictures that are accessible to mass media organisations. Potential use by mass media organisations of pictures obtained from social networking sites raises legal and ethical issues.