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Harassment and sustained intrusion occur when press attention becomes persistent, invasive, and can be dangerous, without proportionate public interest.
These harms frequently stem from:
This recurring harm is not about one mistake — it is about a pattern of behaviour that causes compounding emotional, psychological, and social damage.
Where there is a public interest justification, intrusive reporting practices are sometimes appropriate. But more often that not, people are targeted not because they are suspected of wrongdoing, but because information about them is appealing to readers and commercially attractive.
Harassment and sustained intrusion can include:
The cumulative effect of this behaviour is often far more damaging than any single article.
This harm affects:
In many cases, those affected did not seek publicity and have limited means to make the intrusion stop.
Complaints systems frequently assess individual articles in isolation, failing to address the pattern of repeated behaviour.
Where remedies are offered, they may be too slow or limited to prevent ongoing harm. This allows intrusive practices to continue, even when distress is clear.
Key fact:
When harassment and sustained intrusion are tolerated, the press is incentivised to pursue persistence over proportionality — turning repeated intrusion into an accepted business model.
A free and accountable press must protect people from ongoing harm, not subject them to it.
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