Research Article


DOI :10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582   IUP :10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582    Full Text (PDF)

Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics

Elif Korap ÖzelŞadiye DenizŞükran Pakkan

This study explores the question of whether the right to be forgotten, recognized as a right in the members states of the European Union, represents an opportunity for the application of ethical journalism in news concerning children, given that the concept was enacted through legislation in Turkey in the summer of 2020. Under this right, individuals can control the retention of digital copies of data relating to themselves to a certain extent. The present study focuses on a research area that considers journalists’ viewpoints on the deletion of news items about children in the context of their right to be forgotten. In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 40 journalists; the data obtained were subjected to a content analysis using NVIVO Pro 12. Consequently, the findings showed that the interviewees were willing to partially remove information from the digital record when it concerned children and, when necessary, to delete the news item altogether. In a situation where a balance must be found with the freedom of expression, the right to be forgotten can nevertheless be considered an opportunity to achieve good journalistic practice and protect the higher interests of children.

DOI :10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582   IUP :10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582    Full Text (PDF)

Çocuğu ‘Haber’den Silmek: Çocuk Haberlerinde Gazetecilik Etiği İçin Yeni Bir Fırsat Olarak Unutulma Hakkı

Elif Korap ÖzelŞadiye DenizŞükran Pakkan

Bu çalışma, Avrupa Birliği (AB) ülkelerinde bir hak olarak tanınan ‘unutulma hakkı’nın, 2020 yazında Türkiye’de de yasal düzenlemelerle birlikte kabul görmesinden hareketle, çocuk haberlerinde etik gazeteciliğe ulaşmada bir fırsat olup olmayacağını tartışmaya açmaktadır. Unutulma hakkı ile kişiler dijital hafızada kendilerine ilişkin veriler üzerinde tasarruf sahibi olabilmektedir. Dünyada yakın tarihli, Türkiye’de ise çok yeni bir konu olan unutulma hakkı, doğrudan haberler üzerinde bir etkiye sahip olması bakımından gazetecilikle yakından ilgilidir. Literatürdeki mevcut çalışmalardan farklı olarak bu çalışma, gazetecilerin çocuk haberlerinin unutulma hakkı kapsamında silinmesine ilişkin bakış açılarını ortaya koyan bir saha araştırmasına dayanmaktadır. Araştırma kapsamında 40 gazeteciyle derinlemesine görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiş ve elde edilen veriler NVIVO Pro 12 aracılığıyla içerik analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Görüşülen gazetecilerin çocuklar söz konusu olduğunda haberden kısmi olarak bilgi çıkarmak ve gerekli durumlarda ise haberi silmek konusunda istekli oldukları belirlenmiştir. Ancak gazeteciler, haberde silme ya da revizyon kabulünün, sadece çocuklar özelinde ve istisnai bir durum olduğuna dikkat çekmiştir. Bu doğrultuda, gazetecilerin çocuklar özelindeki tutumunun, tüm haber kategorilerine genellenemeyeceği belirtilmelidir. İfade özgürlüğü ile arasında bir dengenin kurulması durumunda, unutulma hakkı -tek başına yeterli olmasa da- iyi bir gazetecilik pratiğine erişmek ve çocuğun yüksek çıkarlarının korunması için bir fırsat olarak görülebilir.


EXTENDED ABSTRACT


This study explores whether the right to be forgotten, which is recognized as a legal right in the member states of the European Union, represents an opportunity to apply ethical journalism in news stories concerning children, given that the concept was enacted via legislation in Turkey in the summer of 2020. Under this right, individuals can control the retention of digital copies of data relating to themselves. Unlike other recent studies in the literature, the present study focuses on an area of research that places journalists’ perspectives on the deletion of news items about children within the context of the right to be forgotten. In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 40 journalists, and the data obtained were subjected to a content analysis using NVIVO Pro 12. The research area in which the study was conducted showed that the journalists interviewed looked favorably on the deletion or revision of news items under the right to be forgotten when children were involved. The journalists agreed that news items could be deleted or revised in cases in which the safety of a child might be at risk or in situations that might entail psychological or physical risk, ethical problems and a lack of topicality in terms of the news, and crimes committed at a young age or revoked consent as well as to protect children from digital risk and to enable them to freely shape their own futures. For the journalists, this acceptance of the right to be forgotten was an exceptional situation, similar only to issues surrounding children’s privacy.

The journalists also noted drawbacks to the notion of deletion and potential problems that said deletion might create under the right to be forgotten as it related to news regarding children. Their main arguments concerned the risk that historical data might be lost in the effort to protect children and the possibility that the deleted data might concern topics about which the public should be aware. Moreover, the journalists observed the risk that individuals who wished to conceal themselves or their crimes might aim to have certain news items deleted using the presence of children in the item to request deletion or putting pressure on the child or their family to do so. Thus, the journalists recommended that the news item might be deleted in some cases and revised or redacted in others.

Therefore, several recommendations for the appropriate applications of the right to be forgotten in news stories involving children are as follows.

• In situations where a child might be subject to disproportionate victimization—a safety risk or a risk to psychological or physical health—the option of deleting the news item must be considered.

• In situations where the news item might have historical value or is something that the public should know about, redaction or revision should be considered. For example, stories on child abuse in various institutions also constitute important information that relates to law and order in the region in which the abuse occurred. In such cases, rather than deleting the entire news item, there should be a partial deletion or redaction of any content that might cause harm to the child, such as court records on how the child was abused or details of violence.

• Considering the first two points, news items concerning a child being forced into crime should be deleted at the request of the child or family.

• Even when a news item concerning a child is positive, if the information might lead to the child being marginalized by society or to cyberbullying, etc., it should be removed.

• Even if the information and pictures in a news item concerning a child have been taken with the consent of the family, if that consent is later withdrawn by either the child or family, the material should be deleted.

• The use of information and pictures that could identify the child is illegal and against the principles of journalism. This content must be deleted upon the request of the child or family.

• Even if the child’s name is encrypted and their picture hidden or not used, if pictures have been used that could identify the child’s siblings or peers, these should be removed from the news item.

• The principles of the right to be forgotten in relation to children should be stated by journalists and communicated to the public clearly. The right to be forgotten is an essential aspect of journalists’ ethical principles and is important for the press and the freedom of expression. 

• The right to be forgotten is a relatively new topic in Turkish law. The existing legislation on the protection of personal data does not include specific regulations on children. Thus, journalists should refer to the General Data Protection Regulation when applying the right to be forgotten to children.

In conclusion, although the right to be forgotten might not be sufficient in itself to protect children’s personal data or interests, it is an important starting point. Accordingly, legislation should be drawn up to allow children to benefit from the right to be forgotten. 


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APA

Korap Özel, E., Deniz, Ş., & Pakkan, Ş. (2021). Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, 0(61), 127-160. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582


AMA

Korap Özel E, Deniz Ş, Pakkan Ş. Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences. 2021;0(61):127-160. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582


ABNT

Korap Özel, E.; Deniz, Ş.; Pakkan, Ş. Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, [Publisher Location], v. 0, n. 61, p. 127-160, 2021.


Chicago: Author-Date Style

Korap Özel, Elif, and Şadiye Deniz and Şükran Pakkan. 2021. “Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics.” Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences 0, no. 61: 127-160. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582


Chicago: Humanities Style

Korap Özel, Elif, and Şadiye Deniz and Şükran Pakkan. Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics.” Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences 0, no. 61 (Mar. 2024): 127-160. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582


Harvard: Australian Style

Korap Özel, E & Deniz, Ş & Pakkan, Ş 2021, 'Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics', Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, vol. 0, no. 61, pp. 127-160, viewed 29 Mar. 2024, https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582


Harvard: Author-Date Style

Korap Özel, E. and Deniz, Ş. and Pakkan, Ş. (2021) ‘Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics’, Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, 0(61), pp. 127-160. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582 (29 Mar. 2024).


MLA

Korap Özel, Elif, and Şadiye Deniz and Şükran Pakkan. Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics.” Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, vol. 0, no. 61, 2021, pp. 127-160. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582


Vancouver

Korap Özel E, Deniz Ş, Pakkan Ş. Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences [Internet]. 29 Mar. 2024 [cited 29 Mar. 2024];0(61):127-160. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582 doi: 10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582


ISNAD

Korap Özel, Elif - Deniz, Şadiye - Pakkan, Şükran. Deleting a Child from the News: “the Right to Be Forgotten” as an Opportunity for Journalistic Ethics”. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences 0/61 (Mar. 2024): 127-160. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2021-902582



TIMELINE


Submitted24.03.2021
Accepted28.04.2021
Published Online31.12.2021

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