We are seeking feedback on the draft journalism code of practice about processing personal data for the purposes of journalism. This is a statutory code under section 124 of the Data Protection Act 2018.
The draft code provides practical guidance to help individuals understand data protection law and comply effectively with its requirements. The code does not concern press conduct or standards in general.
The code will be most helpful to media organisations and staff with data protection responsibilities, including lawyers, data protection officers and senior editorial staff. We will develop complementary resources to support more day-to-day journalism and smaller organisations.
The draft code builds on the ‘Data protection and journalism: a guide for the media’ published in 2014 following industry engagement. It takes into account the responses from our initial call for views in 2019.
We are also seeking views on a draft economic impact assessment. Your responses will help us understand the code’s practical impact on organisations and individuals.
We encourage interested parties to get in touch, including individuals involved in the media industry such as journalists, media organisations, photographers and private investigators. We are keen to hear a wide range of views, including those of regulators, civil society, campaign groups, lawyers, academics, and members of the public.
Please submit responses by 24 January 2022. Responses submitted after the deadline may not be considered.