PETALING JAYA: Media freedom should not come at the expense of protecting children's rights and their dignity, says Teo Nie Ching.
The Deputy Communications and Digital Minister was responding to a news report of a crime allegedly committed by a child, which included a family picture as well as other identification details.
"While it is our promise to protect media freedom, it should always be balanced with the need to protect the rights and dignity of children," Teo said in a Facebook post on Friday (July 8).
She also highlighted the law under Section 15 of the Child Act 2001, which seeks to protect children from any possible harm from news coverage.
"(It) clearly states that any mass media report 'shall not reveal or include any particulars calculated to lead to the identification of any child' involved in any way with a crime.
"Is there really a need to publish the family photo, their kampung and the name of the father? Is this information useful to readers?
"Or does it only serve to get more eyeballs at the expense of the child's privacy, and expose them and the other children in the family to possible severe negative consequences?" she asked.
