Post Tony Bennett Today at 7:56 pm
Earlier this week, I received clearance from IPSO, the body that now monitors the press, to make public their decision on the Daily Star's article of 5 October headed: “Trolls: Internet trolls are backing a court libel case against the McCanns”.
They have decided not to investigate - decision below.
I can ask for a 'Review' of their decision, but have decided not to.
Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have done what I can.
My separate complaint about an earlier Daily Express article about the McCann v Amaral libel trial is still under active consideration by IPSO and I am not allowed to say any more about it until they make their final decision.
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Dear Mr Bennett
I write further to our earlier email regarding your complaint about an article headlined “Trolls: internet trolls are backing a court libel case against the McCanns”, published by the Daily Star on 5 October 2015.
On receipt of a complaint, IPSO’s Executive reviews it to ensure that it falls within our remit, and discloses a possible breach of the Editors’ Code of Practice. The Executive has now completed an assessment of your complaint under the terms of the Code. Having considered the points you have raised in full, we have concluded that your complaint does not raise a possible breach of the Code.
You said that it was inaccurate in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) for the article to describe those contributing to Goncalo Amaral’s legal fund on GoFundMe as “trolls” who have “abused the McCanns online”, and to include the comments of a friend of the McCanns who said that some of the donors “have said the most appalling things on the internet”. These descriptions of were however clearly distinguishable as the newspaper’s and the McCann’s friend’s characterisations of these donors. These characterisations would not have significantly misled readers given that you accept that abusive comments have indeed been left on the GoFundMe page by some users. This aspect of your complaint did not therefore raise a possible breach of Clause 1.
Further, we noted that the article stated that the donors “include” trolls, and that only “some” of the donors have left abusive messages.
You also said that it was misleading for the article to state that the donations to Mr Amaral’s GoFundMe page could “help strip the couple of £357,000”. It was not however misleading for the article to suggest this, given that the McCanns would lose this money if Mr Amaral’s appeal is successful. This aspect of your complaint did not therefore raise a possible breach of Clause 1.
You are entitled to request that the Executive’s decision to reject your complaint be reviewed by IPSO’s Complaints Committee.
To do so you will need to write to us within seven days, setting out the reasons why you believe the decision should be reviewed.
Please note that we are unable to accept requests for review made more than seven days following the date of this email.
We would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider the points you have raised, and have shared this correspondence with the newspaper to make it aware of your concerns.
Best wishes,
Xavier Bastin
for IPSO
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