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| Press intrusion complaints rise | Press intrusion complaints rise |
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| Complaints about privacy and intrusion to the press watchdog rose over the last year, it has emerged. | |
| The Press Complaints Commission (PCC), in its annual report, said it resolved many more cases than ended up in court. | The Press Complaints Commission (PCC), in its annual report, said it resolved many more cases than ended up in court. |
| Last year the PCC received 231 privacy related complaints - a slight increase on the previous year - of which 96 were settled amicably. | Last year the PCC received 231 privacy related complaints - a slight increase on the previous year - of which 96 were settled amicably. |
| Publicity given to privacy cases which went to court wrongly suggested a move away from the PCC, stated the report. | Publicity given to privacy cases which went to court wrongly suggested a move away from the PCC, stated the report. |
| Sir Christopher Meyer, PCC chairman, said: "Far from seeing a diminution in work on privacy we have seen an increase in the number of privacy issues." | Sir Christopher Meyer, PCC chairman, said: "Far from seeing a diminution in work on privacy we have seen an increase in the number of privacy issues." |
| The Commission, which is a self regulatory body funded by the newspaper and magazine industry, was available to deal with privacy issues 24 hours a day, seven days a week, he said. | The Commission, which is a self regulatory body funded by the newspaper and magazine industry, was available to deal with privacy issues 24 hours a day, seven days a week, he said. |
| Sir Christopher added that its procedures and previous adjudications meant guidance was available to editors on the principles to apply when deciding whether or not to publish stories. | Sir Christopher added that its procedures and previous adjudications meant guidance was available to editors on the principles to apply when deciding whether or not to publish stories. |
| The Commission made a number of important new privacy rulings in 2006 PCC report | The Commission made a number of important new privacy rulings in 2006 PCC report |
| The PCC published a total of 19 adjudications concerning privacy in some way. | The PCC published a total of 19 adjudications concerning privacy in some way. |
| The complaints were upheld in five of these cases. | The complaints were upheld in five of these cases. |
| The majority of privacy cases - 46% - related to regional and local press, which the report said was not surprising due to the size of that sector. | The majority of privacy cases - 46% - related to regional and local press, which the report said was not surprising due to the size of that sector. |
| And 38.4% of the complaints involved the national press, 8.9% related to the Scottish press, 5.4% involved magazines and 1.3% came from Northern Ireland. | And 38.4% of the complaints involved the national press, 8.9% related to the Scottish press, 5.4% involved magazines and 1.3% came from Northern Ireland. |
| "To that end, the Commission made a number of important new privacy rulings in 2006, relating to children, photographs of people at work, intrusion into grief, confidential sources and privacy and pregnancy, among others," the report said. | "To that end, the Commission made a number of important new privacy rulings in 2006, relating to children, photographs of people at work, intrusion into grief, confidential sources and privacy and pregnancy, among others," the report said. |
| Offering assistance | Offering assistance |
| Sir Christopher said the PCC also did a great deal to protect people from harassment when they became involved in major stories. | Sir Christopher said the PCC also did a great deal to protect people from harassment when they became involved in major stories. |
| By way of example, he said it offered Suffolk police assistance in the case of the Ipswich murders. | By way of example, he said it offered Suffolk police assistance in the case of the Ipswich murders. |
| The document added that 418 complaints - 78% of the number which represented a possible breach of the Code of Practice - were resolved last year, a rise of 20% over the figure for 2005 and the highest total in the PCC's history. | The document added that 418 complaints - 78% of the number which represented a possible breach of the Code of Practice - were resolved last year, a rise of 20% over the figure for 2005 and the highest total in the PCC's history. |
| And in a further 20% of such cases, the PCC judged that offers not accepted by the complainant were proportionate and suitable. | And in a further 20% of such cases, the PCC judged that offers not accepted by the complainant were proportionate and suitable. |
| And just 2% of possible breaches were not met with a sufficient offer from the editor. These complaints were all upheld. | And just 2% of possible breaches were not met with a sufficient offer from the editor. These complaints were all upheld. |