In 2015, Nilüfer Demir, a photographer working for the DHA, took a photograph of a Syrian toddler who had washed up on a beach in Turkey after his family attempted to flee Syria. The photo of the boy’s body lying motionless on the beach stirred controversy about the use of the image in news reports. Critics argued that the image was too graphic and offensive to show general audiences, but others argued the image was instrumental in changing the global response to the Syrian refugee crisis. This link to iMediaEthics provides a list and reasons why some news organizations chose to publish the photograph.

The ASA provides a list of offensive advertisements for educational use. The link contains a list of offensive ads, the complains the ASA received about the ads and their final ruling.

Stephen Ward, the director of the Center for Journalism Ethics, wrote an essay outlining the responsibility of a free press to minimize harm, but also balance their freedom to publish important images and stories.

This video by the Ethical Journalism Network argues that sometimes the need to publish offensive material outweighs a journalist’s need to minimize harm to the public. The video emphasizes the need for context in such cases.