Newspaper watchdog the Press Complaints Commission is conducting research into public attitudes to privacy in relation to social networking websites.

With millions of people now members of online communities such as Facebook, more and more personal information is available to anyone – including journalists – online.

The Commission is concerned that sometimes this is personal information or photographs taken in private places, opening up numerous implications over their use.

The research, which will complement work done by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom and other organisations, will look at how news is gathered by journalists, how privacy is protected by bodies like the PCC and how people in general view privacy as a concept.

The results will be discussed at a Westminster Media Forum seminar in London in June.

The research comes at a time of renewed debate about the impact of new communications on individuals with no claim to celebrity.

Most recently, the Bryon review highlighted the positive role that self-regulation could have in protecting children online, including in minimising the risk of children’s personal information on social networking sites being exploited.

A statement from the Commission said: “It has been clear to the PCC for some time that the maintenance and improvement of standards online can really only adequately be achieved by self-regulatory bodies.

“This is because modern digital communication – which is free, immediate and global – renders national jurisdictions meaningless and imposed rules futile.

“In these circumstances, the element of co-operation from publishers inherent in self-regulation is essential for the effective promotion and supervision of high standards online.”