Media reporting on child homicide victims: consultation - easy read

Reasons for anonymity

We have been told that reporting about child homicide victims is upsetting for the child’s family. This reporting does more harm than good.

This includes:

• families feeling that reporters are not respecting their grief
• unwanted details about the crime being published
• comments made online by members of the public

We have been told that this type of reporting can go on for a long time, causing years of upset to families.

We have also been told that information that is shared by people on social media about child homicide victims is upsetting. This includes information on Facebook and X (which used to be called Twitter).

Families have told us that the publication of private and personal information is unnecessary and causes them distress. They have said that they feel unable to protect other children in the family from this.

They said that they want more control of what information is made public.