Society of Professional
Journalists
Code of Ethics 

Society of Professional
Journalists Code of Ethics 

The Society of Professional Journalists is a US-based organization dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and upholding high ethical standards. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. 

SPJ Code of Ethics 

  • Seek Truth and Report It: Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair

  • Minimize Harm: Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect

  • Act Independently: The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public

  • Be Accountable and Transparent: Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one’s work and explaining one’s decisions to the public

 

*this is a condensed version of the SPJ Code of Ethics. See HERE for more information.

The Rights and Religions Forum (RARF) defines insular religious groups (IRGs) as communities where members, often under restrictive, high-control environments, face marginalized rights, such as limited autonomy, coercion, and isolation from outside society. 

Key Aspects of Insular Religious Groups (IRGs):

High Control and Isolation: Insular religious communities are often characterized by restrictive environments that limit interaction with the outside world.

Marginalization of Rights: Members may experience coercion, abuse, or the suppression of individual rights within their community.

Leaving is a Challenge: A person who disaffiliates from an IRG can face psychological, social and economic barriers as they enter mainstream life. 

Voices are Marginalized: The experiences of IRG disaffiliates are often left untold because of the barriers they face, making them a vulnerable source if they do go public.

A Vulnerable Source:

  • Has less power than a reporter
  • Is at more risk than the average person by going public
  • Might lack knowledge of the reporting process
  • Might not know how to advocate for themselves

The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit that strengthens democracy by improving the relevance, ethical practice and value of journalism. The organization’s Mental Health Reporting Project offered resources for journalists about how to interview vulnerable sources without exploiting them.

Journalist’s tool kit for working with vulnerable sources

It’s vital for journalists to seek out and interview people from all walks of life. Reporters also need to recognize their ethical duty to protect sources who lack the knowledge they need to protect themselves. This set of best practices is a curated list of tools that will help journalists incorporate the voices of vulnerable people, while minimizing harm at the same time.

MAKING CONTACT

  • Start with an informal conversation that is off the record. Describe the story, how long it might take to report and what type of questions you are likely to ask. Explain how background and off-the-record guidelines work, so they know their options if they want to keep information private, but feel it is important for the reporter to be aware of something.

  • Show the source a similar story, so they have a concrete idea of what you do.

  • Describe the nature of your news organization and tell the source that their friends, family and employers are likely to see the story. Explain all the places the story will appear, including if it will live forever on your newsroom’s website.

  • Answer all the questions the source may have, and be available to answer more questions that come up. When possible, give the source time — several days or even several weeks — to decide whether they want to take part in the story.

THE SOURCE’S
BEST INTERESTS

THE SOURCE’S BEST INTERESTS

  • Assess whether your source is able to advocate for themself. While you can take extra care with a vulnerable source, as a journalist your primary loyalty is to your audience and to the story you are trying to tell. You cannot also be primarily responsible for looking out for your source’s best interest.

  • If your source does not seem able to advocate for themself, encourage them to rely on another trusted person. When that’s not possible, discuss with your editor whether your source is truly capable of consenting to participate in the story.

These guidelines were developed by Kelly McBride of The Poynter Institute, in collaboration with NPR. For more information, email ethics@poynter.org.

These guidelines were developed by Kelly McBride of The Poynter Institute, in
collaboration with NPR. For more information, email ethics@poynter.org.
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