The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) welcomed the adoption of the new media law in Lebanon, considering that it constitutes an essential step towards enhancing the protection of children and preserving their dignity and rights in various forms of media coverage.
The organization stressed that the new law places the protection, dignity, and rights of children at the heart of media practice, at a time when there is an increasing need for professional and ethical controls to prevent minors from being exposed to any psychological or social harm as a result of publishing their names, photos, or details of their private lives.
UNICEF wrote through its account on the “X” platform that it will continue to work with the Ministry of Information and its partners in the media sector, with the aim of promoting responsible, ethical and privacy-sensitive coverage of children, ensuring their protection, making their voices heard, and respecting their rights.
This position gains special importance in light of the widespread spread of digital platforms and social networking sites, and the accompanying rapid circulation of images and information, which may make the child vulnerable to defamation, bullying, or social stigma, especially in cases related to violence, exploitation, family disputes, and security incidents.
Media coverage related to children imposes a double responsibility on institutions and journalists, as it is not limited to the accuracy of the information, but also includes protecting the identity of the child and not revealing any details that might allow him to be identified or endanger his safety and future.
Professional treatment of these issues also requires achieving a careful balance between the public’s right to know and the child’s right to privacy and protection, while avoiding using his images or human circumstances to attract views or provoke interaction at the expense of his dignity.
UNICEF’s position stresses the importance of transforming the principles stipulated in the new media law into actual practice within newsrooms and digital platforms, through developing coverage rules, training workers in the sector, and enhancing cooperation between the Ministry of Information, media institutions, and parties concerned with children’s rights.
It is expected that the implementation of the law will constitute an essential step towards establishing a more responsible media in dealing with children, giving them a space to express their opinions and make their voices heard, without turning them into media material or compromising their right to safety, privacy and dignity.
