Wochenfokus (wochenfokus.de), owned and operated by Donau Media OÜ, is committed to responsible journalism that respects the rights and welfare of children. This Safeguarding & Minors Policy sets out the additional care we take when covering minors, including review procedures and contact details for concerns.
Why does Wochenfokus have a specific policy for covering minors?
Children are particularly vulnerable and have a right to privacy and protection under international and Swedish law. Our editorial mission – trustworthy Swedish journalism without spin or oversimplification – requires extra caution when reporting on or involving young people. This policy ensures we balance the public interest with the best interests of the child in every story.
We recognise that coverage of minors can have lasting consequences for their wellbeing. By setting explicit safeguards, we aim to prevent harm, avoid sensationalism, and maintain the trust of our readers. The policy applies to all editorial content, including text, images, video, and audio, whether produced by staff or contributed by external sources.
Who reviews content involving children?
Birgit Weiß, our Standards Lead (Ansvarig för faktagranskning), personally reviews any content that names, images or identifies a minor. She also oversees fact-checking and source verification for such pieces, and works closely with Chefredaktör Oliver Böhm when difficult editorial decisions arise. You can read more about our team at /our-team/.
This additional layer of review applies before publication and, where necessary, after publication if concerns are raised. No article involving a minor may be published without Birgit Weiß’s explicit approval. The same standard applies to sponsored or commercially supported content that references children.
What principles guide our reporting on minors?
We prioritise the child’s safety and dignity over speed or sensationalism. We avoid identifying children in stories about crime, abuse, family breakdown or health unless there is a clear and compelling public interest and we have obtained informed consent from a parent or guardian. We do not use images of children out of context or in ways that could cause stigma or distress.
Where consent is given, we verify the parent or guardian’s understanding of the context and reach of the publication. We also consider the child’s own views if they are old enough to express them. We never publish personal contact details, school names, or other information that could enable direct targeting of a minor. Our full editorial policy is at /editorial-policy/.
What you can expect from us
You can expect that every article involving a minor receives an additional layer of editorial review before publication. We will explain our decision‑making if we choose to name a child. We will remove or anonymise content about a minor if a legitimate request is made, subject to legal and editorial considerations. We treat all such requests seriously and respond promptly.
Our commitment extends to archive content. If we learn that older material no longer meets our current standards or poses a risk to a minor, we will update or remove it as appropriate. We also train our editorial team regularly on safeguarding best practices and the legal framework in Sweden and the EU.
How do we handle concerns about content involving minors?
If you believe content on Wochenfokus breaches this policy or puts a child at risk, please contact us immediately at complaints@wochenfokus.de. Our complaints procedure, including escalation steps and expected timelines, is at /complaints-procedure/. We take all concerns seriously and will investigate promptly.
For corrections or fact‑checking issues related to content about minors, please see our /fact-checking-policy/. You may also contact Birgit Weiß directly (emma.sandberg@wochenfokus.de) if you prefer to speak to the responsible editor. We aim to acknowledge receipt within one business day and to resolve concerns as quickly as possible.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about how we cover minors, or wish to raise a specific concern, please email our Standards Lead Birgit Weiß (emma.sandberg@wochenfokus.de) or use info@wochenfokus.de. You can also visit our /about-us/ page for general contact details. We are committed to transparency and accountability in every aspect of our journalism.