Discriminatory media reporting oversight
Lack of adequate powers for a regulatory body to intervene in cases of allegedly discriminatory reporting by the press.
148 items
5 sources
1 inquiry
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Inquiry recommendation
96match
L38 - Discriminatory Reporting Powers
In conjunction with Recommendation 11 above, consideration should also be given to Code amendments which, while fully protecting freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, would equip that body with the power to intervene in cases of allegedly discriminatory reporting, and in so doing reflect the spirit of equalities legislation.
Matched on
terms: discriminatory, reporting
Committee recommendation
74match
#4 - Encourage media organisations to include diverse Muslim women's voices and ensure off-screen diversity.
Media organisations should seek to include more Muslim women’s voices to provide diverse perspectives and to challenge the pervasive and harmful stereotypes that are damaging British values of tolerance and respect of those with different faiths and beliefs. Diversity off screen as well as on screen is just as important to ensure that coproduction and inclusion occurs at...
Matched on
terms: media, reporting
Committee recommendation
70match
#1 - Require Ofcom and ASA to introduce specific rules against ageist stereotyping in media.
There is clear evidence that ageist stereotyping, including portrayals of older people as frail, helpless or incompetent, or conversely as wealth- hoarding “boomers”, is highly prevalent across all media in the UK and that this is a significant contributory factor to the normalisation of ageist attitudes. Ageism causes harm both to older individuals, including when self-limiting stereotypes are...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
66match
#3 - Challenge inaccurate media representations and false online narratives of Muslim women robustly.
There needs to be a cultural shift in how Muslim women are portrayed in the media and online. Inaccurate representations and false media narratives should be challenged robustly, including by press regulators and Ofcom. (Conclusion, Paragraph 37)
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
66match
#2 - Media stereotyping of Muslim women normalises discrimination and impedes their societal participation.
The role of the media and public figures should not be understated. Persistent stereotyping of Muslim women as oppressed, a symbol of extremism or just fundamentally ‘different’, has a normalising effect, increasing the risk of discrimination, harassment and abuse. It leads to false assumptions about aspirations and capabilities and prevents Muslim women and girls from being able to...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
61match
#6 - Press Israeli counterparts to restore journalist access and lift media bans in Gaza.
The Committee condemns the killing of over 186 Palestinian journalists in Gaza and reiterates that Israel has a responsibility not to target journalists, who are protected under international law. While Israel has suggested that many of these may have been Hamas supporters, reporters from a wide range of reputable news organisations including Reuters, AFP and the BBC, have...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
57match
#5 - Israeli Government's refusal of media access to Gaza breaches international norms.
The Israeli Government’s refusal to allow media access to Gaza to report on the war is a breach of internationally recognised norms. Journalists’ work will be crucial as an informational basis for any long-term findings regarding the legality of the conduct of the war. (Conclusion, Paragraph 32)
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
53match
#29 - High anti-Muslim abuse in schools shows unmet need for education and inclusive environments.
Schools have a vital role in tackling anti-Muslim abuse. First, through education on Muslim culture and heritage and the positive role Muslim communities have played in shaping the multicultural Britain that exists today, and providing challenge to distorted narratives of Muslimness portrayed on social media, and in parts of mainstream media and politics. Secondly, by fostering social cohesion...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
53match
#23 - Publish new hate crime action plan focused on tackling intersectional abuse of Muslim women.
The Government should publish a new hate crime action plan with a dedicated focus on tackling the intersectional abuse of Muslim women. This plan should include mechanisms on how to increase reporting and guidance on how public services should respond to intersectional abuse, including abuse directed at Muslim women. Affected minority groups, especially those who experience intersectional abuse,...
Matched on
terms: reporting
Committee recommendation
49match
#3 - Editor's Code of Practice inadequately protects older people from age discrimination.
The Editor’s Code of Practice must balance the rights of individuals to protection from discrimination with freedom of expression in the press. The complete omission of age from clause 12 on discrimination gets this balance wrong, leaving older people unprotected and contributing to a widely held perception that ageism is taken less seriously than other forms of discrimination....
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
48match
L72 - Exemplary Damages for Media Torts
Exemplary damages (whether so described or renamed as punitive damages) should be available for actions for breach of privacy, breach of confidence and similar media torts, as well as for libel and slander. The application to a defendant of any relevant system of regulation of standards enforcement which is contained in or recognised by statute and good internal...
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
48match
L69 - Review of Damages for Media Torts
There should be a review of damages generally available for breach of data protection, privacy, breach of confidence or any other media-related torts, to ensure proportionate compensation including for non-pecuniary loss (all referable to the duration, extent and gravity of the contravention).
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
47match
L58 - ICO Policy on Press Regulation
The Information Commissioner's Office should take immediate steps to prepare, adopt and publish a policy on the exercise of its formal regulatory functions in order to ensure that the press complies with the legal requirements of the data protection regime.
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
47match
L53 - ICO Regard for Regulatory Membership
Specific provision should be made to the effect that, in considering the exercise of any of its powers in relation to the media or other publishers, the Information Commissioner's Office must have regard to the application to a data controller of any relevant system of regulation or standards enforcement which is contained in or recognised by statute.
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
47match
L52 - ICO Balance of Public Interest
In conjunction with the repeal of those procedural provisions, consideration should be given to the desirability of including in the Data Protection Act 1998 a provision to the effect that, in considering the exercise of any powers in relation to the media or other publishers, the Information Commissioner's Office should have special regard to the obligation in law...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
47match
#7 - Ninth Report - Major cultural and sporting events
The news media are vital stakeholders for major events, amplifying them at home and abroad and delivering greater value for money. Moreover, beyond this purely instrumentalist role, there is an intrinsic value to free and reliable reporting of major events. It is, therefore, concerning to hear of increased restrictions on reporting at major events and that the news...
Matched on
terms: media, reporting
Committee recommendation
45match
#32 - Set out proposals to strengthen mental health system accountability, including Race Equality Framework implementation.
The sector has called for a Mental Health Commissioner to address concerns about a lack of accountability across the mental health system. The Government has said it does not want to take this approach. We ask it to set out proposals to strengthen accountability, including for implementing the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework in full. (Recommendation, Paragraph...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
45match
#4 - Stigma and discrimination undermine equitable and culturally appropriate mental health services
Experiences of stigma, discrimination, and lack of culturally appropriate or personalised support were frequently reported, particularly by racialised communities, neurodivergent individuals, and those with disabilities. 74 Where care was described as high-quality, it was inclusive, responsive, and tailored to individual needs. Equity must be integral to the delivery of high- quality community mental health services. (Conclusion, Paragraph 55)
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
43match
L70 - Civil Justice Council Damages Review
The Civil Justice Council should consider the level of damages in privacy, breach of confidence and data protection cases, being prepared to take evidence (from the Information Commissioner, the media and others) and thereafter to make recommendations on the appropriate level of damages for distress in such cases. How the matter is then taken forward will ultimately be...
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
43match
L63 - ICO Adopt DPP Guidelines
The Information Commissioner's Office should immediately adopt the Guidelines for Prosecutors on assessing the public interest in cases affecting the media, issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions in September 2012.
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
43match
L61 - ICO Advice for Data Subjects
In particular, the Information Commissioner's Office should take immediate steps to publish advice aimed at individuals (data subjects) concerned that their data have or may have been processed by the press unlawfully or otherwise than in accordance with good practice.
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
43match
L59 - ICO Good Practice Guidelines
In discharge of its functions and duties to promote good practice in areas of public concern, the Information Commissioner's Office should take immediate steps, in consultation with the industry, to prepare and issue comprehensive good practice guidelines and advice on appropriate principles and standards to be observed by the press in the processing of personal data. This should...
Matched on
terms: media
LGO / SPSO decision
42match
PSOW-201906362 - Abertillery & Llanhilleth Community Council
The Ombudsman received a complaint that a Member (“the Member”) of Abertillery & Llanhilleth Community Council (“the Council”) had breached the Code of Conduct. It was alleged that the Member had shown a disregard for the principle of equality, by making comments about another member’s hearing impairment and deliberately making it difficult for that member to participate in...
Matched on
terms: discriminatory, media
Committee recommendation
41match
#12 - Mandate Editors’ Code of Practice Committee to include age in clause 12.
The justification of the omission of age from clause 12, set out in the Editors’ Codebook, that journalists must be free to comment on public figures who are “past their prime” is itself overtly ageist. We recommend the Editors’ Code of Practice Committee include age in clause 12 of the Editors’ Code of Practice and update the Editors’...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
41match
#12 - Muslim women encounter significant barriers and discrimination in employment and career progression.
Muslim women face barriers in accessing employment, recruitment and career progression and face microaggressions and discrimination in the workplace. While it would be wrong to suggest that discrimination is the sole explanation, its prevalence needs to be addressed. (Conclusion, Paragraph 81)
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
41match
#1 - Muslim women experience increasing, gendered, and intersectional abuse and discrimination in the UK.
Muslims in the UK face increasing levels of online, verbal, and physical abuse and discrimination. Muslim women are disproportionately likely to face such abuse and experience it in ways that are specifically gendered and often linked to their race and/or ethnic identity, as well as their perceived inability to retaliate. Such abuse and harassment occurs in everyday situations,...
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
40match
L40 - Public Advice and Warning Service
A new regulatory body should continue to provide advice to the public in relation to issues concerning the press and the Code along with a service to warn the press, and other relevant parties such as broadcasters and press photographers, when an individual has made it clear that they do not welcome press intrusion.
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
39match
L74 - Qualified One Way Costs Shifting
In the absence of the provision of an approved mechanism for dispute resolution, available through an independent regulator without cost to the complainant, together with an adjustment to the Civil Procedure Rules to require or permit the court take account of the availability of cost free arbitration as an alternative to court proceedings, qualified one way costs shifting...
Matched on
terms: media
Inquiry recommendation
39match
L64 - ICO Engage with Metropolitan Police
The Information Commissioner's Office should take immediate steps to engage with the Metropolitan Police on the preparation of a long-term strategy in relation to alleged media crime with a view to ensuring that the Office is well placed to fulfil any necessary role in this respect in the future, and in particular in the aftermath of Operations Weeting,...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
39match
#5 - Sixth Report: Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image
The current Obesity Strategy is at best ineffective and at worst perpetuating unhealthy behaviours. It is likely to be dangerous for those with negative body image, including those at risk of developing eating disorders. In the short term, we have specific concerns that calorie labelling will contribute to growth in eating disorders and disordered eating. The Government should...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
39match
#5 - Seventh Report - Sustainability of local journalism
We recognise that consolidation within the local news industry has ensured the survival of titles that otherwise would have closed. But we are concerned that some of the approaches of the largest publishers appear to be compromising the quality the local journalism produced by their titles. We are also concerned that the largest publishers take a disproportionate share...
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
39match
#31 - 4th Report - Disinformation diplomacy: How malign actors are seeking to undermine democracy
To show its continued commitment to media freedoms, the Government should again provide to the Committee six-monthly updates, including an assessment of threats to media freedom and the UK’s response to foreign information manipulation and interference in priority regions. (Recommendation, Paragraph 149) BBC World Service
Matched on
terms: media
LGO / SPSO decision
39match
22-008-265 - City of Doncaster Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has demonstrated discriminatory and transphobic behaviour. This is because we would not achieve anything significant by doing so.
Matched on
terms: discriminatory
IMB recommendation
39match
Dovegate (2025)
Public perception of prisoners and prisons negatively impacts on prisoners ability to achieve acceptance back into civilian life upon release. This appears to be driven by the mass media: how does the Minister plan to showcase the positive results of prisoner outcomes to the general public?
Matched on
terms: media
Committee recommendation
36match
#10 - First Report - Racism in the aid sector
Fundraising is extremely important to many international aid organisations, but public appeals that depict the communities they serve as helpless and needy strip those communities of their dignity. They contribute to the narrative that the countries where they work are somehow inferior to the UK. (Paragraph 31) Racism in the aid sector 31
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
36match
#2 - Fifth report - Equality in the heart of democracy: A gender sensitive House of Commons
The rise of online abuse and harassment of female parliamentary candidates and MPs, including rape and death threats, is intolerable. It is unacceptable that such behaviour has become commonplace and contributed to female MPs standing down at the last general election. Vicious misogynistic abuse must not be accepted as an inevitable facet of a woman’s life in politics....
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
36match
#14 - Concerns regarding disjointed platform approaches and weakened content moderation policies.
We are concerned by disjointed approaches from platforms to false and harmful content; in particular by recent moves from X and Meta to water down their Terms of Service and approach to content moderation. While there are merits to crowd-sourcing models of context provision and fact-checking—as part of a wider policy on misleading and harmful content—these platforms seem...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
35match
#8 - Sixth Report: Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image
Weighing children in primary schools under the National Child Measurement Programme is likely to cause harm to children’s mental health and could hinder the development of a positive body image. This is particularly damaging for Black children who are more likely to be incorrectly placed in the overweight or obese categories. We recommend that the Government urgently reviews...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
35match
#3 - Fifth report - Equality in the heart of democracy: A gender sensitive House of Commons
We urge the Government to respond positively to the recommendations in the Report of the Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill, including those in paragraphs 127 and 136 relating to the Law Commission’s proposals for communications that contain threats of serious harm or that stir up hatred based on sex or gender. We further recommend the...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
35match
#8 - National investigation into maternity care presents a turning point for equitable services.
We hope that the national investigation will serve as a turning point for the country’s maternity services, and particularly the experience of Black women, by laying the foundation for a more transparent, accountable, and equitable maternity system. We will monitor the progress of the inquiry closely and intend to revisit its findings, with a view to undertaking further...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
35match
#9 - Sixth Report: Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image
The Committee is disappointed about the lack of diversity in adverts both on and offline. We urgently want to see more companies advertising with real images of people from a diverse range of ethnicities, abilities, sexualities, genders, body shapes and sizes. We know that advertising is a powerful driver of consumer behaviour and protecting people from adverts, which...
Matched on
classifier match
LGO / SPSO decision
35match
24-001-122 - Coventry City Council
Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision not to remove a flag displayed at a community centre which he says is discriminatory, and which he said caused him distress. We find the Council at fault for not considering relevant guidance as part of its decision. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a fresh decision.
Matched on
terms: discriminatory
Committee recommendation
32match
#19 - Second Report - Tackling online abuse
We recommend that the Government accepts the Law Commission’s proposals to extend the characteristics to which aggravated hate crime offences can apply, and to reform the motivation test for hate crimes to include prejudice as well as hostility; and that it sets a timeline for bringing these changes forward.
Matched on
classifier match
PHSO casework decision
32match
P-001157 - A medical practice in the Westminster area
Ms H complains about the actions of the reception staff at the GP Practice. She says a staff member referred to her as 'sir' and 'he' on several occasions, despite repeated requests for them to refer to her using female pronouns.
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
31match
L67 - Sentencing Guidelines for Data Offences
On the basis that the provisions of s77-78 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 are brought into effect, so that increased sentencing powers are available for breaches of s55 of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Secretary of State for Justice should use the power vested in him by s124(1)(a)(i) of the Coroners and Justice Act...
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
31match
L66 - ICO Organisation Review
The Information Commissioner's Office should take the opportunity to review its organisation and decision-making processes to ensure that large-scale issues, with both strategic and operational dimensions (including the relationship between the culture, practices and ethics of the press in relation to personal information on the one hand, and the application of the data protection regime to the press...
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
31match
L65 - ICO Specialist Knowledge Review
The Information Commissioner's Office should take the opportunity to review the availability to it of specialist legal and practical knowledge of the application of the data protection regime to the press, and to any extent necessary address it.
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
31match
L62 - ICO Annual Report on Press
The Information Commissioner's Office, in the Annual Report to Parliament which it is required to make by virtue of section 52(1) of the Act, should include regular updates on the effectiveness of the foregoing measures, and on the culture, practices and ethics of the press in relation to the processing of personal data.
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
31match
L60 - ICO Public Guidance
The Information Commissioner's Office should take steps to prepare and issue guidance to the public on their individual rights in relation to the obtaining and use by the press of their personal data, and how to exercise those rights.
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
31match
L56 - ICO Consult with CPS
A new duty should be introduced (whether formal or informal) for the Information Commissioner's Office to consult with the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to the exercise of its powers to undertake criminal proceedings.
Matched on
classifier match