An Inquiry into the Contribution of the Sri Lankan Legal System towards Protecting the Right to Privacy within Media Ethics

Abstract

Mass media can be described as a major subject area that was widely discussed in the 20th century. Every profession in the world has a specific code of ethics relevant to it; accordingly, the profession of mass media also comprises a code of ethics. Ethics acts as a set of constraints established by individuals engaged in the publication process. This varies from country to country. The right to privacy is simply the right of an individual to keep their personal matters and relationships confidential. Special attention must be paid to this right to privacy when engaging in journalism and when pursuing information for media purposes.

The research problem of this study investigates whether there is a contribution from the Sri Lankan legal system to protect the right to privacy within media ethics. The main objective of this study is to examine the contribution of Sri Lankan law towards protecting the right to privacy within media ethics. Primary data, secondary data, and tertiary data were utilized for this study. Primary data was obtained by referring to relevant constitutional provisions and through interviews, while local books and periodicals were referred to for secondary data. The internet and newspapers were primarily used to obtain tertiary data.

A mixed research methodology was employed for this study. Under the qualitative research methodology, discussions were held with two lecturers from the Open University of Sri Lanka who conduct research on law to collect information via interviews. Under the quantitative research methodology, five legal professionals working in the media field and five journalists were selected, and quantitative data was collected by administering a questionnaire to them. The study found that there is a specific legal framework within Sri Lanka to protect the right to privacy. It was also revealed that Sri Lanka is bound by international conventions to protect the right to privacy within media ethics. While this study primarily examined the current legal status, it also provides suggestions and recommendations to bridge the gaps in the existing laws.