This archive report was first published on 20 September 2019.
On September 6, 2019, readers of the Nation voted to have the newspaper unpublish a photo of Miss Soba, taken five years ago during an Alcoblow test for drink-driving ( Readers Have Their Say, Daily Nation, September 6, 2019).
At 18, Miss Soba was photogenic and had passed the test. However, the Nation continued to use her picture to illustrate stories related to drink-driving, despite her loud protests.
According to the Media Council of Kenya’s “Guiding principles,” journalists must respect the personal dignity and privacy of others and demonstrate respect for their rights.
The Constitution protects the right to privacy, which includes the right not to have information relating to one's private affairs unnecessarily revealed.
Miss Soba’s case highlights the need for media outlets to balance the privacy rights and reputation of individuals against the public right to know and the right of the media to freedom of expression.
As the Nation editors have acknowledged, there are times when the media should take down sensitive personal information to protect an individual’s privacy and reputation.
