Abendfokus takes the welfare and dignity of minors seriously. This policy sets out the care we take when covering children in our journalism. Every piece that names, images or quotes a minor receives additional scrutiny from our Standards Lead Lisa Otto before publication. We follow the ethical principle that a child’s safety and long-term wellbeing outweigh any news value. For any concern about content involving a minor, readers can reach our complaints team at complaints@abendfokus.de.
Why does Abendfokus have a specific policy for minors?
Children are particularly vulnerable to harm from media exposure, even when the coverage is factually accurate. A single article can affect a minor’s privacy, reputation or emotional development for years. Abendfokus Media Ltd. therefore requires that any editorial content involving a person under 18 must meet a higher standard of justification and procedural oversight.
Our editorial team follows guidance from the Swedish Press Council and international best practice. The policy applies regardless of whether the minor is a victim, witness, participant or subject of a news story.
Who reviews content that features a minor?
Lisa Otto, our Ansvarig för faktagranskning (Standards Lead), must approve every article that identifies a minor before publication. She works alongside the responsible editor and the reporting journalist to assess necessity, consent, anonymisation and potential long-term impact. Lisa Otto can be contacted via emma.sandberg@abendfokus.de for policy questions. You can read more about our editorial team on our Our Team page.
In practice, this means no story mentioning a minor is published until Lisa Otto or a designated deputy has signed off. This extra layer is separate from the routine fact‑checking that all articles undergo.
What extra steps do we take when covering children?
We avoid naming minors unless the public interest clearly outweighs the risk of harm. Where naming is necessary, we seek informed consent from a parent or legal guardian and explain how the child’s name will be used. We never publish photographs or video that could identify a child’s home, school or routine without explicit, documented permission.
When a minor is a victim of crime, abuse or trauma, we automatically anonymise their identity and omit any detail that could lead to indirect identification. Our Editorial Policy and Fact‑Checking Policy further outline the verification standards that apply to all sources involving minors.
What you can expect from us
Abendfokus will not sensationalise or exploit a child’s story for traffic or engagement. We will not interview a minor without a responsible adult present unless the child is clearly safe and the topic is non‑sensitive. We will not use a minor as a source in a story that could put them at risk of retaliation, stigma or unwanted attention.
Our commercial partners cannot influence any decision about whether or how a minor is covered. Sponsored or affiliate content that involves children is subject to the same Safeguarding policy and is clearly labelled. For more details on editorial independence, please see our Ownership & Funding page.
How do we handle mistakes or concerns about content involving minors?
If you believe an article or image on Abendfokus has failed to protect a minor’s welfare, please contact us immediately at complaints@abendfokus.de. Our complaints team will escalate the matter to Lisa Otto and the chief editor Thomas Bergmann within one working day. We will review the content, correct any errors and remove or anonymise material if necessary.
We take every complaint seriously and follow our published Complaints Procedure. Persistent or serious breaches of this policy may lead to disciplinary action and public correction via a note on the article.
Questions or concerns?
Readers, sources and parents can contact Lisa Otto directly on emma.sandberg@abendfokus.de or our general editorial desk at info@abendfokus.de. For formal complaints, use complaints@abendfokus.de. We aim to acknowledge all safeguarding‑related messages within 24 hours and to provide a substantive response within five working days.