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| Sun's Gary Lineker Twitter story did not breach his privacy, says PCC | Sun's Gary Lineker Twitter story did not breach his privacy, says PCC |
| (2 months later) | |
| The Sun did not breach Gary Lineker's privacy or harass his relatives and neighbours when it investigated an allegation about his personal life, the Press Complaints Commission has ruled. | The Sun did not breach Gary Lineker's privacy or harass his relatives and neighbours when it investigated an allegation about his personal life, the Press Complaints Commission has ruled. |
| Lineker complained that the Sun had broken the watchdog's rules on privacy and harassment when it looked into a claim that he quit Twitter in January due to "an allegation about his private life". | Lineker complained that the Sun had broken the watchdog's rules on privacy and harassment when it looked into a claim that he quit Twitter in January due to "an allegation about his private life". |
| The Match of the Day host and former footballer denied the allegation – which the Sun chose not to publish – and criticise the paper for contacting his neighbours and relatives, including his wife's stepfather, about the claim. | The Match of the Day host and former footballer denied the allegation – which the Sun chose not to publish – and criticise the paper for contacting his neighbours and relatives, including his wife's stepfather, about the claim. |
| However, the PCC ruled on Friday that the Sun had "stayed on the right side of the line" and did not uphold Lineker's complaint of invasion of privacy and harassment. | However, the PCC ruled on Friday that the Sun had "stayed on the right side of the line" and did not uphold Lineker's complaint of invasion of privacy and harassment. |
| The watchdog accepted that the allegation about Lineker was of a personal nature but threw out the complaints after ruling that it "was reluctant to restrict the freedom of journalists to conduct enquiries undertaken in order to investigate the veracity of an allegation and to assess whether a sufficient public interest justified publication". | The watchdog accepted that the allegation about Lineker was of a personal nature but threw out the complaints after ruling that it "was reluctant to restrict the freedom of journalists to conduct enquiries undertaken in order to investigate the veracity of an allegation and to assess whether a sufficient public interest justified publication". |
| Charlotte Dewar, the PCC's director of complaints, said: "The commission acknowledged that it can be a distressing experience to be the subject of journalistic inquiries, but it is reluctant to restrict the freedom of journalists to engage in standard newsgathering activities. | Charlotte Dewar, the PCC's director of complaints, said: "The commission acknowledged that it can be a distressing experience to be the subject of journalistic inquiries, but it is reluctant to restrict the freedom of journalists to engage in standard newsgathering activities. |
| "On this occasion, the commission decided that the newspaper had stayed on the right side of the line and did not uphold the complaint." | "On this occasion, the commission decided that the newspaper had stayed on the right side of the line and did not uphold the complaint." |
| Lineker announced that he was quitting Twitter "for personal reasons" in a message to his 1.3 million followers on 18 January. | Lineker announced that he was quitting Twitter "for personal reasons" in a message to his 1.3 million followers on 18 January. |
| The following day, the Sun contacted the former footballer's agent about a "tip" it received that his departure had been prompted by an allegation about his private life. | The following day, the Sun contacted the former footballer's agent about a "tip" it received that his departure had been prompted by an allegation about his private life. |
| Journalists at the paper contacted Lineker, Danielle's stepfather, the BBC press office, and five other individuals about the claim before deciding not to publish the allegation, which his agent had refused to confirm or deny. | Journalists at the paper contacted Lineker, Danielle's stepfather, the BBC press office, and five other individuals about the claim before deciding not to publish the allegation, which his agent had refused to confirm or deny. |
| In a complaint to the PCC, Lineker denied the allegation and said there was no possible public interest in investigating or publishing it even if it had been true. | In a complaint to the PCC, Lineker denied the allegation and said there was no possible public interest in investigating or publishing it even if it had been true. |
| The Sun denied it had invaded Lineker's private life or that it was required to "demonstrate any public interest in its inquiries," according to the PCC ruling. | The Sun denied it had invaded Lineker's private life or that it was required to "demonstrate any public interest in its inquiries," according to the PCC ruling. |
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