Complaint
A viewer complained that the programme was misleading in its portrayal of posts about a social media figure featured in the documentary. The complaint argued that the programme presented the individual as a victim of malicious gossip without adequately reflecting allegations that had been made about the accuracy of claims the individual had made online. The ECU considered the complaint under the Editorial Guidelines relating to due accuracy.
Outcome
The ECU noted that the programme focused on the lack of moderation on the Tattle website, the publication of offensive comments and the impact those comments had on people and their families. The complaint relied on allegations about the featured individual’s conduct, but no evidence had been provided to substantiate those allegations.
The ECU concluded that the programme was not required to examine or resolve such allegations in order to achieve due accuracy. It found that the purpose of the documentary was not to assess the truth of claims made about the individual, but to explore the effects of harmful online commentary. In that context, it was not misleading to include testimony from the individual’s widow about the impact of the posts.
Not Upheld
