Citizen Journalism: Of traumatized children, media heckling, and unprofessional journalists

“What did you see when you opened the door?”

“I saw my mom hanging from the fan.”

The question was from a journalist; the answer was from a child who had just found out that her mother died by suicide. And it gets worse from here. The child is made to recount the horrific details of her mother’s death. At one point, the child says that her mother’s face had turned purplish, and it scared her, so she ran away. Imagine putting a minor through this experience just for sensationalism and viewership. In a civil society, a responsible adult, whether family or not, would want to protect the child and let her grieve in peace. However, what happened to Swetcha’s daughter compels us to question whether we are in a civilized and sane society anymore.

In the days following the tragic death of Swetcha, her daughter was relentlessly hounded for more soundbites, more “controversial” statements, and more catchy clickbait. Numerous YouTube thumbnails with unspeakable titles surfaced within hours of breaking the news. Each worse than the one before. In some videos, the child’s face was revealed (some of those videos have now been taken down), which is a clear violation of the POCSO Act. In the wake of Swetcha’s death, the urgent need to safeguard children’s privacy from insensitive media exposure has come to the forefront.

Studies have shown that children are 40% more likely than adults to have their personal information shared by the media without consent (2018 Study, NYU School of Law).

This is not only unethical but also contrary to the protections afforded under Indian law.

Bharatiya Nyay Samhita has several provisions to safeguard the privacy and dignity of children. Unfortunately, some media houses are flouting all norms for winning the TRP race.

Sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those addressing cruelty, breach of confidentiality, and the prohibition of disclosing the identity of child victims, exist precisely to prevent such violations. Yet, enforcement remains lax, and children continue to be exposed to public scrutiny at their most vulnerable moments.

What does the law say?

NCPCR Media Guidelines prohibit revealing a child’s identity in media, especially in cases of abuse or crime. Media must obtain consent from guardians, avoid interviews with traumatized children, and blur faces to protect privacy. The Juvenile Justice Act prohibits publishing images or details of children in conflict with the law and prioritizes the child’s privacy, dignity, and best interests in all media exposure.

In countries like the UK, the US, Australia, France, and Lebanon, there are laws and media guidelines that prohibit disclosing a child’s identity in sensitive cases, requiring parental or guardian consent for interviews or images. While there are legal provisions for child privacy, the onus lies with the media to ensure that they adhere to journalistic ethics and give us what they are supposed to - just the facts.

Journalistic Ethics

Ethical journalism demands that reporters verify facts, avoid sensationalism, and show sensitivity toward those affected by tragedy. The harm limitation principle specifically urges journalists to weigh the consequences of disclosure, show compassion, and protect the privacy of private individuals, particularly children and victims of trauma. Unfortunately, this principle has been shattered to smithereens not just in Swetcha’s case but in several similar incidents involving children in the past.

On June 30, about 50 female journalists from Telangana signed an open letter addressed to the editors and managements of media houses, expressing deep outrage at the irresponsible and insensitive media coverage of the incident. The use of lurid headlines, sensational narratives, and thumbnails depicting a minor girl is are egregious violation of journalistic ethics and human decency, the letter said.

Talking to us about the professional ethics of journalism that were questioned after Swetcha’s death, Krishna Jyothi, one of the 50 women journalists that attended the above mentioned press conference said, “many journalists working in news channels and on digital platforms today are not aware of content guidelines and often lack accountability, empathy, and gender sensitivity. This leads to sensationalized news and unfair media trials, especially when women and children are involved. The rise of 24/7 news channels and digital media has turned journalism into a business focused on getting more views and clicks, often at the cost of basic ethics and humanity. In Swetcha’s case, journalists invaded her and her family’s privacy, used sensational headlines, and denied her dignity, which is both unethical and illegal.”

What can Media Heckling Do to a Child?

Dr.M.Hrishikesh Giri Prasad, Associate Professor, Department of Child Psychiatry

Niloufer Hospital emphasizes that children need time and space to process the loss of a loved one. In such cases, immediate questioning, especially by the media, can be deeply damaging to a child's mental wellbeing. Instead of offering condolences or support, intrusive and inappropriate questions from outsiders only intensify a child’s trauma, often leading to long-lasting psychological effects such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even suicidal tendencies.

He further added that media scrutiny is not only outside their professional role but also compels children to relive the traumatic events repeatedly, making recovery more difficult and sometimes irreversible over time. Dr. Hrishikesh stresses that only the police or judiciary should conduct formal inquiries, while the focus for everyone else should be on protecting the child and allowing the family to grieve in peace. Crisis intervention, where support from family, teachers, and school psychologists is offered to a child, helps them gradually return to normalcy.

Speaking of a child’s trauma, Hima Bindu, a child rights activist, reflected on the deeply troubling phenomenon when even child protection agencies exploit a child’s suffering to raise funds—this is simply unacceptable. “We urgently need stringent policies and widespread digital literacy to safeguard children’s privacy, ensuring that protection reaches every child, especially those most vulnerable. Community policing and tailored regulations for social media platforms are essential to truly protect child privacy online. Society must recognize this as a pressing problem and adopt a child-centric approach at every level,” she said.

What can we do as Common Citizens to Safeguard Child Privacy?

The media is the fourth pillar of a democracy, and journalistic ethics are the backbone of responsible reporting, emphasizing truth, accuracy, objectivity, and compassion, more so when involving children. When I asked the experts how common citizens can help protect children from media glare, here’s what they said. As common citizens, we can talk to management to ensure our children’s schools have trained mental health professionals; we can stand by the affected family and show solidarity when the media toes the line. Dr. Hrishikesh believes that as a society, we ought to be non-judgmental, respect the family’s privacy, and recognize that repeated probing only deepens the child’s trauma. Given how we all have a role to play in creating a safe space for children, let us hope the journalist community, government, and society step up to safeguard children from media exploitation.

“Children must thus be treated in the media with decorum and the highest respect.”

— Modern Ghana, Media Ethics for Child Protection

Madhuri Keta is the Founder of Lemon Yellow Crayon,a content agency based out of Bangalore. An active X user, she is vocal about women empowerment and feels strongly for children. She often posts about topics related to the well being and safety of children. Madhuri has also done a podcast episode to create awareness about the importance of consent among children to touch them.