FUNCTIONS OF THE INSPECTOR OF JOURNALIST ETHICS AND THE OFFICE

The Inspector shall perform the following functions:

 

1) Examine the complaints (applications) of interested persons with regard to violation of their honour and dignity in the media;

2) Examine the complaints (applications) of interested persons with regard to violation of their right to the protection of privacy in the media;

3) Examine the complaints (applications) of interested persons with regard to violation of personal data management in the media;

4) Maintain, within the limits of his competence, supervision over the enforcement of provisions of the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter - Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information);

5) Assess the compliance with the principles of providing information to the public set forth in the Law on Provision of Information to the Public and other regulatory laws and legal acts governing provision of information to the public;

6) Submit proposals to the Seimas and other state institutions on the improvement and implementation of the Law on Provision of Information to the Public and other regulatory laws and legal acts governing provision of information to the public;

7) Pursuant to the conclusions of groups of experts (experts), ascribe press publications, audiovisual works, radio and television programmes or individual broadcasts, the Information Society media or other media and (or) their contents to the categories of erotic, pornographic and (or) violent character, and inform the State Tax Inspectorate under the Ministry of Finance about press publications of erotic and (or) violent character;

8) Pursuant to the conclusions of groups of experts (experts), determine whether the public information released in the media encourages hatred based on sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, language, origin, social status, religion, beliefs or opinions;

9) Cooperate with counterpart institutions of the European Union Member States and other countries, and, within the sphere of his competence, represent the Republic of Lithuania in international organisations;

10) Every two years, prepare and publish an analytical survey – the Guidelines for the development of a democratic culture in the field of provision of information to the public;

11) Conduct monitoring of public information in the media, with the exception of radio and television programmes;

12) Carry out preventive work: provide recommendations and consultations to the media producers and disseminators and insist that the laws infringing information is removed from the web portals;

13) On his own initiative, conduct investigation on violations committed in the public information sphere;

14) Apply the principles of mediation – during the investigation process, encourage the parties to conclude a peace agreement.

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The Office shall perform the following functions:

1) Ensure the investigation of interested parties’ complaints (applications) with regard to violation of personal non-property rights in the media: degrading of honour and dignity, violation of requirements for the protection of privacy, personal data management, principles of provision of information to the public and provisions of the Law on Provision of Information to the Public and the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information;

2) Provide the Inspector with conclusions and proposals with regard to the investigation of complaints (applications) received and the decision-making;

3) Under the Inspector’s authorization, represent in courts;

4) Provide the Inspector with conclusions and proposals with regard to investigations started at his initiative;

5) Ensure supervision over the implementation of provisions of the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information;

6) Assist in assessing the compliance with the principles of providing information to the public set forth in the Law on Provision of Information to the Public and other regulatory laws and legal acts governing provision of information to the public;

7) Ensure the submission of proposals to the Seimas and other state institutions on the improvement and implementation of the Law on Provision of Information to the Public and other regulatory laws and legal acts governing provision of information to the public;

8) Pursuant to the conclusions of groups of experts (experts), arrange ascribing public information released in the media to the categories of erotic, pornographic and (or) violent character;

9) Pursuant to the conclusions of groups of experts (experts), assist in determining whether the public information released in the media encourages hatred based on sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, language, origin, social status, religion, beliefs or opinions;

10) Ensure and maintain cooperation with counterpart institutions of the European Union Member States and other countries and provide support in representing the Republic of Lithuania in international organizations;

11) Conduct monitoring of public information in the media, with the exception of monitoring radio and television programmes;

12) Pursuant to the order provided for by laws, ensure ascribing recommendations on information to the category of information having a negative impact on the minors, its marking and provision of restrictions related to its dissemination;

13) Ensure the preparation of Guidelines for enforcement of the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information;

14) Ensure the submission of the Inspector’s annual activity report to the Seimas;

15) Provide support to the Inspector in preparing and publishing an analytical review – the Guidelines for the development of a democratic culture in the field of provision of information to the public.