Source Transparency
A new regulatory body should consider encouraging the press to be as transparent as possible in relation to the sources used for stories, including providing any information that would help readers to assess the reliability of information from a source and providing easy access, such as web links, to publicly available sources of information such as scientific studies or poll results. This should include putting the names of photographers alongside images. This is not in any way intended to undermine the existing provisions on protecting journalists' sources, only to encourage transparency where it is both possible and appropriate to do so.
- Source transparency has not been systematically addressed by IPSO as a regulatory requirement. The Editors' Code does not include a specific provision requiring publishers to disclose sources of stories or provide web links to original material (IPSO Editors' Code of Practice, accessed March 2026).
- Individual publishers have adopted varying practices on source attribution and linking, particularly for online content, but this is not a regulatory requirement.
- No published evidence of IPSO implementing source transparency standards has been identified.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted in Part
Response
Accepted in PartThe Prime Minister stated on 29 November 2012 that he accepted "the principles that Lord Justice Leveson has laid out" for independent self-regulation, including "an independent board, a standards code, an arbitration service and the power to demand up-front, prominent apologies and impose million-pound fines." However, he rejected statutory underpinning, expressing "serious concerns and misgivings" about crossing "the Rubicon of writing elements of press regulation into the law of the land." The Royal Charter on Self-Regulation of the Press was granted on 30 October 2013, establishing the Press Recognition Panel as the recognition body. IPSO was established in September 2014 but has not sought Royal Charter recognition. IMPRESS was recognised by the PRP in October 2016. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/david-cameron-statement-in-response-to-the-leveson-inquiry-report
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Source transparency has not been systematically addressed by IPSO. While some publishers have improved online source linking, there is no regulatory requirement or consistent practice of naming photographers alongside images or providing web links to sources.
View detailed findings
No systematic requirement for source transparency has been introduced by the regulator.