Electronic Sites Mislead Readers by Using Old Picture of Foreign Beggar

  • 2017-01-29
  • 12

AKEED, Amman

Several Jordanian news sites carried a statement by the press spokesman of the Ministry of Social Development on catching a foreigner begging at the Central Vegetable Market in Amman. However, the sites published a wrong picture of the beggar.  

The Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor (AKEED) checked the picture, which turned out to be old and of a British beggar named Simon Wright. It was published in the Daily Mail as part of a news story on 14 June 2013.

Electronic sites published the picture along with the story without mentioning the name of the person in the picture or its source. They did not even describe it as "archival picture" or "illustration." This misled readers into believing that the foreign beggar who was caught is the same person in the picture. This suggests that the sites are not interested in checking the truth of a picture before republishing it.

AKEED had monitored similar violations in its previous reports. This case is an extension of the phenomenon of using wrong pictures in press material. This practice is a violation of the standard of accuracy and clarity and the principle of the media steering clear of using misleading material and distorting news. It is also a violation of "Standards for Verifying the Credibility of Press Coverage." The standard of clarity stresses that there must be a clear reference to the date, description, and source of pictures and videos (both archival and illustrative).

Electronic sites carried the story and the same picture, which extended to other Arabic electronic sites that also ran the story and the picture. The following are some examples of the sites that republished it:

What Is Story of Foreigner Begging at Central Vegetable Market in Amman?

"Foreigner" Caught Begging at Central Vegetable Market in Amman

What Is Story of Foreigner Begging at Central Vegetable Market in Amman?

"Foreigner" Caught Begging at Central Vegetable Market

"Foreigner" Begging at Central Vegetable Market in Amman

News of Jordan: What Is Story of Foreigner Begging at Central Vegetable Market in Amman?

What Is Story of Foreigner Begging at Central Vegetable Market in Amman?