Jigsaw Identification

Question 1

What is jigsaw id

Answer 1

‘Jigsaw identification’ is the term used when a person whose identity should be protected is revealed to the public in media coverage of crimes or court cases.

Question 2

How does Jigsaw id occur?

Answer 2

• The identification occurs because while no single report contains the person’s name or enough detail to identify him/her, the published reports of different news organisations contain different details.
• This means a reader who reads or watches more than one news report will be able to piece together details which lead to identification of the victim.

Question 3

What else can jigsaw id describe?

Answer 3

The term ‘jigsaw identification’ is also sometimes used to describe the situation when too much detail in a single, report adds up to identify someone who should by law have anonymity.

Question 4

Who receives legal action in jigsaw id cases

Answer 4

• Legal action is usually taken against the outlet that publishes or broadcasts second, because they are deemed to have ‘completed the jigsaw’.
• So printed publications are advised to copy the details already used on radio, TV and online
• News editors need to check the outlet they are copying from has not used too many details. If it has, subsequent publishers should use the same details, but fewer of them… and avoid adding any new information of their own.

Question 5

How else can Jigsaw id happen to

Answer 5

Jigsaw identification can also be a danger within the same news organisation.
For instance, a web editor might use a youth’s age and the town that he lives near. But the news editor of the printed version might opt to leave out his age, but name the small village he lived in -

There needs to be a conversation about what to take out and what to leave in