As journalists and storytellers, we have an obligation to share stories responsibly. When covering sensitive topics that implicate named individuals, extra care should be taken to ensure the dignity and consent of those involved.
Seek Consent and Build Trust
Before conducting extensive interviews on personal matters, the interviewee‘s explicit consent, comfort and trust should be established. Make sure they understand how their story may be used and shared before they participate.
Prioritize Privacy and Safety
Do not include identifying details without permission. Omit or anonymize parts of stories that could put someone at personal or professional risk. Safety takes priority over transparency.
Lead with Empathy
Seek to understand individual perspectives before making judgments. Avoid assumptions and leading questions that could impose an unfair narrative. Let people share painful stories at their own pace.
Contextualize Responsibly
If including sensitive personal anecdotes, responsibly contextualize them with expert sources. Provide appropriate background on related social issues without linking individuals to unrelated movements or causes.
Consider Unintended Harm
Stories can take on a life of their own. Carefully assess the unintended consequences of publishing before moving forward. There may be difficult tradeoffs between transparency and individual rights.
Check Your Privilege
Journalists come from a variety of backgrounds that shape their perspectives. Continuously check biases and privileges that could unfairly impact how stories are told and shared.
When in Doubt, Opt Out
If uncomfortable reporting a story ethically, consider handing it off or declining altogether. Forcing sensitive stories quickly can betray reader and source trust. Slow down.
While I cannot provide the requested speculative interview, I hope these ethical guidelines prove useful to anyone covering personal topics that require nuance, care and compassion. Please let me know if you have any other questions.