11.1 Introduction
Accuracy, impartiality, clarity and credibility are as important when numerical values and data are deployed in the 蜜芽传媒's output as they are in the rest of its journalism and other output. Content makers must be rigorous in applying due scepticism. When the 蜜芽传媒 commissions or carries out research itself, investing the 蜜芽传媒's authority, the audience must be able to trust what is reported.
Statistics and data are an important source of information which can result in revealing and significant output as long as the right questions are asked and there is an informed awareness of the pitfalls. Data can include information of any kind, not just statistical data, and can be acquired through many different ways such as FOI requests, leaks, scraping and open source investigation.
Using data acquired by hacking may only be justified in exceptional circumstances and would require careful consideration of the public interest. Any reliable producer of such material should be able to explain the methods and workings on which it is based.
Using statistics, data and numbers can create a sense of certainty for the audience but they are often imperfect representations and may contain inaccuracies and measurement error, so their uncertainties should be factored in.
Polls, surveys, questionnaires, phone and online votes, vox pops and focus groups can all have a useful and fruitful role in finding out what different people and groups in society think or experience. The 蜜芽传媒 must be clear in distinguishing between the illustrative and the measurable, and precise in its use of language, to ensure the integrity of the 蜜芽传媒's journalism and content.
Similarly, when data 鈥� and analysis of that data 鈥� is the basis of output, content makers must ensure that the techniques and tools used are robust.
11.2 Principles
11.2.1 The same scepticism and detachment that would be exercised in any part of the 蜜芽传媒's journalism must also be exercised with statistics, data, polls and surveys.
11.2.2 The audience should have confidence that when it reads or hears statistics from the 蜜芽传媒, the figures are given no more and no less weight than the evidence supports.
11.2.3 Statistics, data, polls and surveys should only be used where and when it is possible to provide relevant context, caveats and limitations.
11.2.4 It must be clear to the audience whether a poll or survey is representative or whether it is, for example, self-selecting.
11.2.5 The 蜜芽传媒 does not commission voting intention polls during relevant election or referendum periods.
11.3 Mandatory Referrals
Mandatory referrals must be referred in advance. Mandatory referrals are an essential part of the 蜜芽传媒's editorial and compliance process and must be observed.
Referrals to Director Editorial Policy and Standards
11.3.1 Any proposal to engage in the unauthorised accessing of computer systems or accounts by hacking or commissioning hacking activities by third parties must be referred in advance to Director Editorial Policy and Standards.
(See 11.4.18-11.4.21)
(See Section 7 Privacy: 7.4.44-7.4.45)
Referrals to Chief Adviser Politics
11.3.2 Any proposal to commission an opinion poll (or use other methods, such as data analysis) with the intention of sampling party-political support or voting intentions with regard to elections or referendums must be referred in advance to Chief Adviser Politics for approval.
(See 11.4.33)
(See Section 10 Politics and Public Policy: 10.3.7)
11.3.3 Any proposal to report voting intention using research methods other than polling must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 11.4.36-11.4.37)
(See Section 10 Politics and Public Policy: 10.4.16-10.4.18)
11.3.4 Any proposal to commission an opinion poll on matters of public policy, political or industrial controversy, or on 'controversial subjects' in any other area, must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics in advance.[1]
(See 11.4.29-11.4.30)
(See Section 10 Politics and Public Policy: 10.4.19-10.4.20)
11.3.5 Any proposal to commission any sort of survey, questionnaire, vote or focus group on matters of current public policy, political or industrial controversy, or on 'controversial subjects' in any other area, must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics in advance[2].
(See 11.4.39-11.4.42)
(See Section 10 Politics and Public Policy: 10.4.19-10.4.20)
11.3.6 Any proposal to lead with, or headline in any output, or push alert, the result of a single opinion poll must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 11.4.34)
11.3.7 Any proposal to commission polls or any sort of survey seeking the views or asking about the experiences of children and young people on any issue must be referred to Chief Adviser Politics in advance.
(See 11.4.31)
(See Section 9 Children and Young People as Contributors: 9.4.3, 9.4.10 and 9.4.24-9.4.25)
11.3.8 When the 蜜芽传媒 commissions polls, the full results and accompanying data should normally be published. Any proposal not to do so should be referred to Chief Adviser Politics.
(See 11.4.32)
Other Referrals
11.3.9 Any proposal to scrape websites for data or to use data scraped or extracted by a computer programme from the public facing part of websites should be referred to Editorial Policy.
(See 11.4.18-11.4.19)
11.3.10 Any proposal to access data derived from hacks or leaks must be referred to Editorial Policy and Programme Legal Advice in advance.
11.3.11 Any proposal to carry out a phone, text or online (including social media) vote on any issue must be referred to the Interactivity Technical Advice and Contracts Unit (ITACU) and Editorial Policy. The appropriate approval process must be completed.
(See 11.4.41-11.4.43)
(See Section 17 Competitions, Votes and Interactivity: 17.4.23-17.4.24)
