Taipei, Aug. 4 (CNA) News-gathering organizations and the general public can both play a critical role in getting Taiwan's media back on the right track to eliminate human rights abuses, a watchdog group said in a seminar Friday.
The seminar titled "Human rights under the camera lens" was organized by Broadcasting Development Fund (BDF), a non-profit media watch group, and focused on growing cases of human rights abuse by Taiwan's media.
Cases discussed in the seminar included ignoring privacy and people's right as well as revealing the faces and names of patients with various illnesses without their prior consent.
"Most people nowadays are well aware of their own rights," said Yu Ying-fu, an attorney. "But mostly all they do is complain when they are offended by the media."
As an attorney, Yu said, he probably shouldn't encourage people to take legal action against the media.
"But by doing this, maybe the media will learn the lesson and finally understand the fine line between freedom of press and individual privacy."
"Reporters need a re-education in communication ethics, " said Paul Tsai, deputy manager of Formosa Television's news gathering center. "On the other hand, members of the public should also know their rights."
Tsai also mentioned several mechanisms that can help keep a tight rein on electronic media, including tighter supervision of the National Communication Commission (NCC) and regular human rights reviews by print media, media watchdogs and human rights groups.
"It is time to solve the [human rights abuse] problem, no matter how long it takes," BDF's CEO Connie Lin said.