Why do we need a safeguarding and minors policy?
Abendanalyse (abendanalyse.de) treats the welfare of children as a fundamental editorial responsibility. This page explains what protections we apply and how you can raise a concern. Read it to understand the care we take when minors appear in our reporting.
Children are inherently more vulnerable than adults. Their involvement in a news story – whether as witnesses, victims, or subjects – can have long‑term consequences for their safety, privacy and development. We therefore have a legal and ethical duty to assess every piece of content that involves someone under 18, and to apply additional safeguards before publication.
What safeguards are in place when covering children?
We judge each case individually, weighing the public interest against the potential harm to the child. Before publishing any identifying detail – name, image, school, home address or family circumstances – we seek consent from a parent or legal guardian wherever possible and, where age‑appropriate, from the child themself.
Even with consent, we consider whether anonymisation (pseudonyms, generalised locations, blurred images) is necessary to protect the child’s long‑term interests. All stories involving minors receive an extra layer of review by our fact‑checking and standards lead, Anna Schulz. Her role, detailed on the Our Team page, is to ensure our editorial decisions are consistent with this policy and with our broader Editorial Policy.
We never publish material that could expose a child to bullying, stigma, legal jeopardy or reputational harm unless a compelling public interest clearly outweighs that risk – and even then we seek the most minimal disclosure possible. For further details on how we verify sources and handle sensitive claims, see our Fact‑Checking Policy.
How this works in practice
A concrete example: a local news report about a school fire that injured a pupil. Our reporter, Oliver Sauer, drafts a piece naming the child and showing a classroom photo. The editor flags that a minor is involved. The story is paused and referred to Anna Schulz. She contacts the school to confirm that the family has consented. The family has not yet been reached, so the article is held. Once consent is obtained, the family asks that only the child’s first name and grade be used, and that no photo appear. We respect that request, publish a general location (“a school in central Stockholm”) and add a note that the child’s identity is protected at the family’s request. The article is approved by Matthias Kaiser, our Chefredaktör, before going live.
This workflow – flag, referral, parental consent, minimisation of detail, human sign‑off – applies to every story, whether breaking news, feature, or investigative piece. It is documented and auditable, and we train all journalists on it.
Who is responsible for upholding this policy?
Ultimate responsibility rests with Matthias Kaiser, Chefredaktör, who sets editorial standards and approves any difficult case. Day‑to‑day oversight is carried out by Anna Schulz (Ansvarig för faktagranskning) and Julia Winkler (Redaktionschef). Every team member – from reporters to editors – is expected to raise potential safeguarding concerns without delay. Our Our Team page lists all named editors and their areas of accountability.
Our ownership and funding
Abendanalyse is owned and operated by Abendanalyse Media Ltd, a private company registered in Gibraltar (company number C 92009, Malta Business Registry). Our registered office is Office 9, Business Centre, Valletta, 0000. Neither this policy nor any editorial decision can be overridden by commercial considerations. Full details on our funding sources (display advertising, affiliate links, sponsorships, content licensing) are set out in our Ownership & Funding and Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure pages.
How to raise a concern
If you believe that a story on Abendanalyse has failed to protect a minor, or if you wish to flag any content involving a child that you consider inappropriate, please contact us immediately. Write to complaints@abendanalyse.de or use our formal Complaints Procedure. We will acknowledge receipt within two working days and investigate with the involvement of Anna Schulz and Matthias Kaiser. Corrections or removals are published promptly where a breach is found.
In short
Abendanalyse treats every story involving a minor as a high‑priority editorial event. We assess each case individually, seek parental consent, minimise identifying details, and require additional sign‑off from a dedicated standards lead. Our goal is accurate, public‑interest journalism that never sacrifices a child’s wellbeing. If you have any doubt about a piece of content, please let us know.