Denada Jushi
The serious events occurring in Albanian society have increasingly exposed a disturbing phenomenon in recent years: the way these events are being reported, the exposure of videos, the disclosure of victims' data, or the disrespect for the identity of family members before family ceremonies have even taken place.
This landscape became even clearer on Sunday, with the tragic accident in Durrës, which resulted in the deaths of two minors.
Still without an official reaction from the Police, without knowing what had happened, the video of the accident was distributed massively, making this case even more tragic, where the serious event was learned by the victims' families through the media.
But that wasn't enough; reports from close to home, footage from the funeral ceremony, and interviews with family members turned this event into "live" coverage, without at any moment considering respecting the dignity of the victims and the family's pain.
On social networks and online media sites, the clickbait did not spare the parents as they came home, or the shrouded bodies still unmoved from the scene.
The race for clicks has long been at its peak, where, unfortunately, it has killed all the rules and norms of journalism. It does not contain the main questions of the profession:
Does this information or this data serve the public?
This question should be asked before every reported case, to oneself.
Experienced journalist Anila Hoxha says that many cases are on the journalist's conscience and that she has often refused to report them, even when there was insistence from the editorial staff, because before anything else, you have to be human first.
There have been many cases in Albania. One of the most serious cases was when a newspaper, now online, published a photo of a minor child who had been abused and killed by his neighbor.
The generalities, home address, and every other piece of information were revealed.
Another sensational case was that of a mother who was murdered in Kosovo in front of her children, on the orders of her husband, a year ago. Coverage of this event in Kosovo was extremely cautious, while in Albania the way it was handled was in stark contrast.
The climax was when a few days later, after the court issued its decision, the video of the murder, showing her body, circulated in online media in Albania.
It was the plea of the victim's brother that emphasized that the Kosovo media respected the non-release of that video, while in Albania it was not.
A nation with double standards.
But what happens to European countries in these cases?
The practice in EU countries for reporting serious events, especially the publication of videos of accidents, victims or traumatic scenes, is much more regulated and careful than in many media outlets in the Balkans. There are some strong principles that are followed almost everywhere:
First and foremost:
The dignity of the victim over "clicks".
In most EU countries, publishing images where victims are identifiable (especially dead or seriously injured) is considered an ethical and often legal violation. The media avoids images of bodies, blood, or the moment of death.
In Germany or France, this would have serious consequences for the media, starting from the legal framework, privacy and data protection.
Publishing a video where a person's face or license plate is visible without permission can lead to large fines.
Organizations such as the European Federation of Journalists or national codes recommend warnings about sensitive content or the use of general, non-shocking images, and above all, focusing on information, not sensationalism.
The European model is based on the right to information versus the right to dignity and privacy. While in Albania, the "right to click" has gone so far as to stifle not only professionalism, but also humanity./acqj.al
