BBCcom_Content_Index_for_February_22_2025.txt
Section_8_Crime_and_Anti-social_Behaviour_-_Guidelines.txt
Reporting crime Material likely to encourage or dice rolling stonesincite crime Stop: 8.4.1 Mandatory Referral: Content likely to encourage or incite crime, or lead to disorder, must not be included in BBC output. Any proposal to publish or broadcast content which risks inciting crime or disorder must be referred to Director Editorial Policy and Standards. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral290419151053"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral290419151053").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } Content may include: that which directly or indirectly amounts to a call to criminal action or disorder that which promotes or encourages engagement in acts of terror or other forms of criminal activity or disorder hate speech which is likely to encourage criminal activity or lead to disorder. There will be times when it is in the public interest[3] to include views which may be perceived to be provocative or extreme, particularly in news, current affairs and other factual output. In considering whether such output is likely to encourage or incite crime or disorder, the relevant factors include: whether the output includes direct or indirect calls to action whether there is sufficient context and/or challenge to those views the editorial purpose of the output (See Section 5 Harm and Offence: 5.1) the nature and seriousness of the behaviour being incited the status or position of anyone featured in the output whether the output is scheduled to be broadcast before the watershed or when children and young people are likely to be in the audience whether there are significant freedom of speech considerations that justify the broadcast. 8.4.2 In cases where potential law-breaking or civil disobedience form part of a current news story or public policy debate, editors must consider both their responsibility to reflect the debate or events fully and accurately and their obligation not to broadcast material likely to encourage or incite crime. Context and explanation will be critical. The recording and broadcasting of criminal activity will not normally amount to encouragement or incitement, unless it reveals imitable detail. However, care should be taken that criminal acts are not condoned or glamorised. Direct calls or provocation to audiences to commit criminal acts should be challenged. Illegal activities, such as drug use, should not be portrayed as problem-free or glamorous. It may be appropriate to reflect the negative consequences of such activities, over and above the fact they are illegal. (See Section 5 Harm and Offence: 5.4.52-5.4.56) Hate speech 8.4.3 Material that contains hate speech should not be included in output unless it is justified by the context. Broadcasting hate speech can constitute a criminal offence if it is intended or likely to stir up hatred relating to race, or intended to stir up hatred relating to religious belief or lack of religious belief, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity. Further advice is available from Programme Legal Advice. The situation may differ in Scotland and advice is available from the Legal Director, Scotland. (See Section 2 Impartiality: 2.4.16 and Section 5 Harm and Offence: 5.4.43) Witnessing and Depicting Illegal Activity Stop: 8.4.4 Mandatory Referral: When investigating criminal activity, content makers may want to record a specific crime or the planning of a specific crime. Where that might raise questions about their relationship with the criminal, or involves witnessing criminal activity, it must be referred to a senior editorial figure or, for independent production companies, to the commissioning editor, and to both Director Editorial Policy and Standards and Programme Legal Advice. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral290419151457"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral290419151457").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } Approval to be present at, or record, illegal activity will be given only if it is clearly in the public interest.[4] Even then the following must be avoided: condoning or glamorising criminal behaviour encouraging or provoking behaviour which would not otherwise have occurred directing the activity in any way. Anyone admitting to, or carrying out, an illegal act could be prosecuted. Research notes, diaries, emails, texts, social media messages and any other paperwork connected to the investigation, as well as untransmitted rushes, may be sought by the police using a court order. This material may also have to be disclosed as evidence to a court, tribunal or inquest. Care should be taken to ensure that the identities of any confidential sources are protected, and shared only with people who need to know. It must be possible to redact any identifying details in notes that might become the subject of a court order. (See Section 6 Fairness: 6.4.31-6.4.36 and Section 13 Use of BBC Content After Publication or Broadcast: 13.4.31-13.4.41) 8.4.5 Criminal techniques should not normally be demonstrated or depicted in detail because of the risk of imitation. Where there is editorial justification to show this content, revealing information that could enable illegal activity, or the ways in which it can be made more effective, should be avoided. Stop: 8.4.6 Mandatory Referral: Any proposal, in the public interest, to record the harming of animals, for the purpose of gathering evidence or to illustrate malpractice or illegal, cruel, anti-social or controversial behaviour, must be referred to a senior editorial figure or, for independent production companies, to the commissioning editor. if ("interactive" === "interactive") { const container = document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral290419151728"); window.addEventListener('scroll', () =>{ const buffer = 240; const rect = container.getBoundingClientRect(); const windowHeight = window.innerHeight; // Defines if an element is not above or below the viewport and is within a buffer range above and below the middle of the viewport const isVisible = (rect.top >= 0) && (rect.bottom = windowHeight / 2 - buffer) && (rect.top + rect.height / 2 { container.classList.add('interactive-highlight-red'); if ("red" === "custom") document.getElementById("componentBreakoutContainerbreakoutboxmandatoryreferral290419151728").style.boxShadow = "inset 0 0 0 3px " }); } (See Section 5 Harm and Offence: 5.4.42)
