At a time when online media are competing for publication, in real time, professional and credible media maintain a code of ethics and do not violate privacy in reporting – even in sensitive cases such as accidents, murders, suicides or injuries with sharp instruments.
But, precisely in this race for speed and clicks, a great danger to media freedom itself appears, which is violation of privacy.
When the media normalizes the violation of privacy, it not only harms the individual, but also loses its trust, professionalism, and independence.
In an era where news is disseminated every second and any individual can become a public subject with a post, privacy is becoming one of the most serious challenges of modern journalism. In Kosovo, where freedom of expression has been a significant post-war achievement, respecting privacy is often seen as unprofessionalism rather than a standard.
The role of the media in preserving privacy
The media are not only carriers of public information, but also processors and verifiers of personal data at the same time. Any publication that includes names, faces, images or identifying details falls under their legal and ethical responsibility.
The Code of Ethics of the Kosovo Press Council (KPPC) is clear.
“The press must avoid interference in the private life of the individual, except when there is a justified public interest.”
This means that the publication of personal information from the identities of victims to content from social networks must pass the test of public interest, not reader interest.
The Law on the Protection of Personal Data and the Agency for Information and Privacy (AIP) establish the legal framework that protects citizens from unauthorized processing and publication of their data. AIP is not a media body, but an institution that protects citizens from exceeding the limits of privacy, even when this exceeding occurs through media reporting.
This agency has warned several times that publishing personal data is a serious violation, punishable by fines. In September 2025, after publications related to a tragic event in Peja, where a family lost a relative in an accident, AIP called on the media to reflect and respect privacy and personal data.
“Some media outlets have broadcast footage of the event and the emotional reactions of family members in moments of pain, with content that violates the right to privacy, human dignity and the basic principles of journalistic ethics,” the announcement said. (https://aip.rks-gov.net/thirrje-per-mediat-respektoni-privatesine-dhe-te-dhenat-personale-te-qytetareve-ne-raste-tragjike/)
The agency recalled that being a public figure does not deny anyone the right to privacy, especially in moments of personal and family pain, emphasizing that publishing sensitive images without the family’s consent constitutes a serious violation of human rights and the law on the protection of personal data.
“The publication of sensitive images without the family’s consent constitutes a serious violation of human rights and legislation on the protection of personal data,” the response said.
This institution has even requested the media to:
– Immediately stop publishing and distributing materials that violate the privacy of the affected family, without their consent;
– Remove existing content containing footage of the event or reactions of family members, published without their consent.
– The Information and Privacy Agency calls on the media to respect the privacy and dignity of citizens, especially in moments of pain.
The role of the PCK and the IMC
On the other hand, the Kosovo Press Council and the Independent Media Commission (IMC) are institutions that cover the print (online) and audiovisual media.
The PCK, through the Code of Ethics, has reviewed several cases where privacy violations were found, from the publication of children’s photographs to the exposure of cases on sensitive topics such as accidents, murders, suicides, etc., where it was found that there was a violation of privacy during reporting.
In fact, the KMCK, in September of this year, like the AIP, appealed for reporting on tragic events to be done with care, sensitivity and professionalism.
In a press release, the Council stated that only when there is high public interest, the media should report on such cases, avoiding a sensationalist approach.
“Caring for those affected by the tragedy must mean understanding, protection of privacy, face coverings and discretion,” the PCK statement said.
The Council requested that photographs, videos and recordings of victims of accidents, violence, criminal acts or natural disasters not be published without covering their identity or body, especially when it comes to children. (https://telegrafi.com/kmshk-dhe-aip-u-bejne-thirrje-mediave-raportoni-me-ndjeshmeri-dhe-respektoni-privatesine-ne-rastet-tragjike/)
There is no public interest in publishing the names of children of victims, in exposing the faces of citizens in sensitive situations, or in publishing private documents and personal data. Ethical journalism does not sacrifice professionalism for public interest.
As AIP and PCK emphasize, “privacy is a fundamental right,” and no right to information excludes its respect.
Privacy violation as a threat to the media
When the media enters the territory of privacy without reason and without basis, the consequences are obvious and we see public reactions, and with this, professional integrity is degraded, and public trust and legitimacy fall. A media that violates privacy becomes legally, professionally and ethically vulnerable.
Instead of hasty and sensationalist reporting, the media, together with civil society organizations, the Association of Kosovo Journalists, the PCK and the IMC, should invest in education on personal data protection, training on digital ethics and the creation of internal privacy policies.
Privacy is not a luxury, but a professional standard. Media that does not respect it risks losing their credibility and their function as protectors of the public interest. Preserving human dignity is part of the same mission as preserving freedom of expression. And if journalism does not do this, regulators and courts will do it with measures and fines that ultimately harm the media more than the exposed subject.
Where does public interest begin and end?
This question is essential and is often debated and discussed even among professionals.
There is no public interest in publishing the names of the children of victims, in exposing the faces of citizens in sensitive situations, or in publishing private documents and personal data.
Ethical journalism does not sacrifice professionalism for “public interest.”
As AIP and PCK emphasize, “privacy is a fundamental right,” and no right to information excludes its respect.
Instead of inciting reporting that does not respect the KPC code, the media, together with civil society organizations, the Association of Kosovo Journalists, the KPC and the IMC, should invest in education on personal data protection, training on digital ethics and the creation of internal privacy policies.
In an increasingly competitive market, professionalism becomes the only real differentiator.
AIP can play a more active role by establishing more frequent communications with the media in cooperation with the PCKK, IMC and AGK to also create specific manuals.
On the other hand, in the digital age, privacy is not a luxury, but a professional standard. Media that do not respect it risk losing not only their credibility, but also their function as protectors of the public interest. Preserving human dignity is part of the same mission as preserving freedom of expression.
And if journalism doesn’t do this, regulators and courts will do it with measures and fines that, in the end, will harm the media itself more.