Insights Independent Press Standards Organisation announces review of the way its regulations should apply to global digital publishers.

IPSO’s review has been triggered by concerns that its original regulations may no longer be adequate to deal with some of the issues thrown up by new models of global publishing.

IPSO Chief Executive, Matt Tee, said: “When the current regulations were drafted nearly four years ago, it was difficult to imagine the developments that would take place in digital publishing, with some publishers having numerous editorial bureaux across the world focused on different audiences in different time zones. This is already an issue for some IPSO members and is bound to affect others in future. It may also be a disincentive to other global digital publishers joining IPSO. We want a solution that enables IPSO to be an effective regulator for relevant consumers and provides a definition that is intuitive and workable for publishers”.

IPSO says that the review will be carried out by its Board “as expeditiously as possible”.  The terms of reference for the review will be to:

  • consider how best to define the content, published online by a global publisher, that should fall under IPSO’s remit;
  • consult with global digital publishers on a proposed definition;
  • examine the experience of overseas press regulators as well as regulators in other areas of communication, such as broadcast or video on demand; and
  • seek advice on how a revised definition would best be implemented.

Until the review is concluded, IPSO may exercise its discretion not to consider new complaints which relate specifically to articles and other content about events in overseas jurisdictions, and which are not primarily targeted at a UK audience.

IPSO will be contacting relevant parties in the next week inviting them to make submissions to the review, however submissions are welcome from any person or group. Submissions should be sent to digitalreview@ipso.co.uk.

The closing date for submissions is midday on Friday 19 August 2016.  To read IPSO’s press release, click here.

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