What does this policy mean for you?
This policy explains how Gegenwart24 protects the rights and wellbeing of children and young people in our journalism. If you are a parent, a young reader or someone who works with minors, this page will help you understand what safeguards we apply and how to raise a concern.
Gegenwart24 is committed to reporting responsibly on minors. We balance the public interest in a story against the potential harm that coverage could cause to a child’s safety, privacy or development. This policy applies to every article, image, video and social-media post we publish, whether the minor is a subject, a source or simply appears in the background.
We follow Swedish and international legal frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our approach is guided by our editorial policy and reviewed regularly by our Standards Lead.
How does Gegenwart24 protect the privacy of children?
Gegenwart24 will not publish any information that could identify a minor without a compelling editorial reason and, where feasible, informed consent from a parent or guardian. We treat a person’s status as a minor as a protected characteristic in our reporting process.
In practice, this means:
- We do not name children under 16 in news stories unless they are a central public figure (for example, a young climate activist giving a public speech) and we have assessed that naming them does not put them at risk. Even then, we consult Helena Graf, our fact-checking and standards lead, before any decision is final.
- We avoid publishing photographs that show a child’s face if the child is a victim, witness or otherwise vulnerable. Where an image is essential, we obtain explicit written permission from the child’s parent or legal guardian, and we clearly explain how the image will be used.
- We never contact a minor for comment or an interview without first explaining the purpose to a parent or guardian and securing their permission. Journalists are trained to end an interaction immediately if a child appears uncomfortable.
These safeguards are embedded in our newsroom workflow. A dedicated checkbox in our publishing system alerts the editor to any content involving a minor, triggering a mandatory second review.
What extra steps do we take when reporting on minors?
Gegenwart24 requires an additional layer of editorial oversight for any story that includes a minor. The Standards Lead, Helena Graf, reviews every piece of content that names or visually identifies a child, and she has the authority to block publication.
Beyond identification, we consider the long-term implications of our coverage. We avoid language that could stigmatise a child or follow them into adulthood – for example, describing a young offender’s family background in unnecessary detail. We also evaluate whether a child’s involvement in a story is truly necessary. If the same information can be conveyed without including a minor, we usually choose that route.
When we commission or edit articles, our team – including Redaktionschef Christina Zimmermann and the relevant section editor – is explicitly trained to flag children’s issues. We reference the fact-checking policy to ensure every claim about a minor is verified from multiple independent sources.
How this works in practice
In 2024, Gegenwart24 reported on a local school’s initiative to integrate newly arrived refugee children. The story could have named a 14-year-old boy who spoke about his experiences. Our reporter first spoke with the child’s mother, explained the article’s purpose, and obtained signed consent. Before publication, Helena Graf reviewed the interview transcript, the photograph (which showed the boy from behind, not facing the camera) and the consent form. She confirmed that no details – such as his school, neighbourhood or family circumstances – could be used to identify him. The article was published with his first name only and a blurred image. The mother received a copy of the draft and was given the opportunity to request changes. This process took three working days and is documented in our editorial records.
This example demonstrates our commitment to process, not just principle. Every case involving a minor is treated with the same care, regardless of the story’s urgency or news value.
Who oversees this policy and how do we ensure compliance?
Helena Graf, our Ansvarig för faktagranskning (Standards Lead), is the direct contact for safeguarding concerns. She monitors all published content for compliance and works with our Chefredaktör Christian Müller to update this policy at least once a year. You can reach her at emma.sandberg@gegenwart24.de or through our complaints team at complaints@gegenwart24.de.
We also train every journalist and editor on this policy during onboarding. Our AI and automation policy explicitly prohibits automated systems from generating content that involves minors without human authorisation, and our complaints procedure gives anyone – including a child or their family – a clear route to raise a concern.
About the publisher
Gegenwart24 is published by Gegenwart24 Media Ltd., a private company registered in Gibraltar (company number C 92009, Malta Business Registry). Registered office: Office 9, Business Centre, Valletta, 0000. The editorial team operates from Sweden, and you can meet our staff on our team page. For privacy-related matters, see our privacy policy.
In short
Gegenwart24 places the safety and dignity of children at the heart of its journalism. Every story involving a minor receives extra scrutiny from our Standards Lead, and we are transparent about our process so that readers, parents and guardians can hold us to account. If you ever have a concern, please contact our complaints team – we take every report seriously.