Ethics, Professional Ethics and Human Rights as a Source

In communication theory, the notion of source is defined as the individual providing data to a journalist. He is described as an informant. It is the main part (actor) allowing the journalist to provide information during his work. However, sources have a number of rights protected by professional codes of ethics. These are the rights of sources as individuals which imply the rights to image and privacy without their consent. The journalist must protect the attributes of his personality. The source also has the right to be cited in matters of copyright with faithful reproduction of the information. For respect for sources, many codes of ethics bring into play ethical principles which place the conscience and values of the journalist upstream in the exercise of his function.