Rejected petition Stop the press bullying public figures under guise of "public interest"

In a society where tolerance is paramount it is astonishing that the press are able to hound people in the public eye and hide behind their own code of "public interest".

For example: Consider the recent tax evasion ruling regarding the ice breaker scheme that Gary Barlow was involved in. Yes, it was in the public interest to report the initial ruling, but on what grounds can delving into past events and personal matters every day for the following week be considered "in the public interest"?

In any other industry this would be considered bullying and illicit cries of inciting hatred and dealt with accordingly.

We are asking three things:
1. Make the press more accountable for their actions - a simple apology is not a sufficient deterrent to stop this behaviour.

2. Force a debate about the PCC "public interest" code.

3. Where more than one person is involved in a case all should be named and given equal coverage.