Open petition: Ban the media from reporting on cause of death until emergency services confirm

Created by Daniel Riley
Closes on 20 February 2027

Ban media outlets from reporting on the cause of death until confirmed by emergency services, out of respect for families who may not yet know their loved one is involved — speculation can cause terrible, avoidable suffering. This includes not reporting on deaths on coastal or inland waters.

Media outlets should never run stories that make claims on the cause of death and may spread speculation about incidents on coastal or inland waters —until every detail is fully confirmed by emergency services.

We call for this out of deep respect for families who may not even know their loved one is involved - unconfirmed reports can cause terrible, avoidable pain. We believe families have the right to be told directly by specially trained officers, properly and privately, before any information is released publicly.

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