Disguising identities
When someone is clearly involved in criminal or anti-social behaviour the BBC's normal approach is to reveal their identity. However, there are circumstances when it is important to disguise identities. These include:
- legal reasons e.g. possible contempt of court or defamation.
- when anonymity has been granted to a contributor.
- exposure of anti-social or criminal practice when individuals are simply illustrative of the practice.
- exposure of anti-social or criminal practice when individuals are not sufficiently culpable or responsible for their actions.
- when there is clear existing documentary or other evidence against a group of people, but not against known individuals in that group. For example, the overcharging of visitors by some people in tourist service industries or the exploitation of the elderly by some home repair workers.
- when identification of innocent parties, for example in a tag along raid, would imply some form of wrong doing.
- when it is difficult to obtain consent e.g. people with learning difficulties, mental health problems, brain damage or forms of dementia.
- when clearly recognisable people are caught on camera, whether in a public or private place, and where the audience might wrongly but reasonably conclude they're involved in wrong doing.
- our international services often rebroadcast material originally recorded for the BBC's UK services. If this material might compromise the safety of contributors when it is rebroadcast, it may be appropriate to disguise the identity of those concerned.