Netherlands: :Court rules on investigative TV programme’s methods and the right to privacy

• Autores: Pamela Bührman
• Localización: IRIS: Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory, ISSN-e 1023-8565, Nº. 4, 2016
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The Dutch TV show Onopgeloste zaken investigates unsolved cases, which usually leads to a confrontation with a person on camera. In this particular case, a person confronted about possible wrongdoing considered the confrontation to be a violation of his privacy and brought proceedings against the TV show.

    The claimant was approached by a family, asking him to store their furniture while they were renovating their house. Upon completion of the renovation they wanted their furniture back, but it seemed that the claimant’s company could not be reached by phone or mail. Thereupon the family approached the TV show, which decided to investigate the case. After extensive research the production team found several witnesses who confirmed some suspicions. Onopgeloste Zaken tracked down the home address of the claimant and confronted him abruptly with their research results and stated that he had unjustly enriched himself by selling the furniture that was entrusted to him by the family. The claimant instantly acknowledged that he had not returned the family’s belongings to them and that it could well be possible that he had sold it. He promised on camera to make financial amends upon presentation of a list of the missing furniture.