INTRUSION INTO GRIEF & SHOCK

Overview

One of the most persistent forms of press abuse is intrusion into grief and shock — when people experiencing bereavement, trauma or sudden crisis are targeted and harassed at their most vulnerable moments.

Despite ethical codes that claim to protect individuals in distress, intrusive reporting of grief continues to occur across the press, with limited accountability when harm is caused.

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What this harm looks like

Intrusion into grief and shock can include:

• Demanding approaches to families affected by bereavement, or persistent harassment
• Publishing distressing images or personal details without consent
• Repeated contact or doorstep harassment, after being asked to leave
• Intruding on private property, infiltrating funerals, or taking long lens photographs of those grieving
• Approaching grieving children
• Sensationalising tragedy to attract attention or clicks

These practices often occur when individuals are least able to protect themselves or challenge coverage.

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Who is affected

This harm disproportionately affects:

• Families grieving sudden deaths
• Victims of serious crime or disaster
• Survivors of traumatic events
• People thrust into the public eye through circumstances beyond their control
  

Many of those affected are not public figures and have no experience dealing with the media.

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Why accountability fails

Self-regulatory systems rely heavily on newspaper discretion, offer limited remedies, and often fail to deter repeat behaviour. As a result, harmful practices continue largely unchecked.

Why this matters

A free and accountable press must be able to report on tragic events without causing further harm — and must be held to account when ethical boundaries are crossed.

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Further reading

The following Hacked Off posts document repeated instances where press coverage has intruded on people experiencing bereavement, trauma or extreme distress — and examine how existing regulatory systems have failed to prevent or remedy the harm caused:

Direct intrusion into grief and bereavement

• Intrusion into grief and shock: Coverage of Kobe Bryant’s death
  https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/intrusion-into-grief-and-shock-coverage-of-kobe-bryants-death
• How much did they get out of turning my daughter’s death into voyeurism?
  https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/how-much-did-they-get-out-of-turning-my-daughters-death-into-voyeurism2‍
• Deceiving a bereaved mother: another low from the Daily Mail
  ‍https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/deceiving-a-bereaved-mother-another-low-from-the-daily-mail‍
• The Mail’s sensationalism on Jeff Baena’s death: A Case for a Stronger Press Regulator
  ‍https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/the-mails-sensationalism-on-jeff-baenas-death-a-case-for-a-stronger-press-regulator

Regulatory failure and complaints handling

• IPSO’s treatment of Mandy Garner exposes the cruelty of a complaints handling system designed to protect the press
  ‍https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/ipsos-treatment-of-mandy-garner-exposes-the-cruelty-of-a-complaints-handling-system-designed-to-protect-the-press
• Show some respect: Chief news correspondent at The Times demonstrates that IPSO code on grief means nothing to journalists
  ‍https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/show-some-respect-chief-news-correspondent-at-the-times-demonstrates-that-ipso-code-on-grief-means-nothing-to-journalists-paul-wragg‍
• Fewer than 3% of intrusion into grief complaints upheld
  ‍https://www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/fewer-than-3-of-intrusion-into-grief-complaints-upheld

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Other recurring press harms include:

• Misrepresentation & Inaccuracy 
• Harassment & Sustained Intrusion  
• Discrimination 
• Phone Hacking
• Trial by Media