Many professional bodies that represent journalists have codes of ethics that outline the moral and professional standards expected of their members. In Australia, the Australian Press Council has standards of practice that focus on 4 values: accuracy and clarity, fairness and balance, privacy and avoidance of harm, and integrity and transparency.

A journalist must sometimes decide between 2 courses of action, both of which may compromise one of the core values (eg truth versus the right to privacy of the subject, national security versus the public’s right to information).

These ethical questions do not have easy answers. As a journalist, you should carefully consider the impact of your writing before publishing.