The Press Complaints Commission has approved three revisions to its Code of Conduct, due to come into force next month.

From 19 October , changes affecting privacy, harassment and public interest will become effective.

They are:

Code Committee secretary Ian Beales said: “These amendments are intended to strengthen and clarify the Code, for the benefit of both complainants and the press, by incorporating elements that largely reflect embedded PCC jurisprudence or existing industry best practice.

“For example, when considering complaints of alleged intrusions into privacy, the PCC has traditionally had regard for any relevant previous disclosures by the complainant. That has now been codified.

“Also, it would be unusual for journalists in pursuit of a story not to identify themselves to the person they wanted to interview or photograph unless there was some public interest reason for not doing so. The Code now reflects that.

“Similarly with the public interest exceptions: currently, editors must demonstrate how their action actually served the public interest. But that doesn’t allow for publication or investigative activity that genuinely appeared to be in the public interest, even where none actually emerged.

“Increasingly in the courts – and especially under Data Protection law – the test is whether there was a reasonable belief that the action was in the public interest.

“In reality the PCC would also be likely to take into consideration, under the spirit of the Code, whether the action would have seemed reasonable.

“It means editors must convince the PCC that they had good reasons to believe their action was in the public interest.”