Our Commitment to Safeguarding and Protecting Minors
MarketUK.uk recognises that children and young people may feature in our coverage of business, markets, economy and related topics — whether as young entrepreneurs, students involved in enterprise, family finances, youth employment initiatives, or as individuals connected to company news. We take seriously our responsibility to report on such stories without causing harm or compromising the welfare of minors. This policy sets out the additional safeguards we apply whenever a person under the age of 18 is referenced in our editorial content.
Scope of This Policy
This policy applies to all editorial content published by MarketUK.uk, including news articles, market explainers, consumer guides, company updates, economic analysis, opinion pieces, interviews, reviews, data-led features and public-interest financial reporting. It covers references to:
- Young entrepreneurs and founders under 18
- Students and pupils in school-related business or financial stories
- Minors affected by family financial decisions, household costs or consumer issues
- Children mentioned in company updates (e.g. family-run businesses, employee benefits)
- Any story where a minor’s identity, image or personal information may be reported
What We Avoid
We do not sensationalise stories involving minors. We avoid publishing unnecessary private details, non-public information about children’s lives, invasive imagery, or contact details that could put a young person at risk. Specifically, we will not include:
- Private addresses or locations of a minor’s home or school
- Personal phone numbers, email addresses or social media handles
- Non-public financial information (e.g. a child’s savings account balance, inheritance details)
- Non-public medical or educational records
- Identifying details of vulnerable young people unless there is a clear, demonstrable public-interest reason and appropriate consent has been obtained
Editorial Focus and Standards
Our coverage of minors is always driven by public interest, official statements, professional work, educational value and relevant economic context. Where a young entrepreneur’s business success is newsworthy, we focus on the commercial venture, market impact or skills development — not the individual’s private life. Where family finances affect young people (e.g. child benefit changes, student savings accounts), we report on the policy or market trend with appropriate context and avoid personalising stories in ways that could identify vulnerable children.
Additional Editorial Review
Any story that names, quotes, photographs or otherwise identifies a minor (or includes a child as a significant subject) must receive extra editorial scrutiny. The Standards & Fact-Checking Lead (Sophie Kendall) reviews such content before publication to ensure compliance with this policy and our broader Editorial Policy. This review includes verification of any consent obtained from a parent or guardian, assessment of potential harm, and confirmation that the public interest outweighs the minor’s privacy.
Privacy Protections
Beyond the specific restrictions listed above, we apply the same high standards of data protection to all content involving minors. We do not publish any private contact information, non-public financial details, non-public medical information, or identifying information that could create a safety risk. Where a story includes a minor in a non-public context (e.g. a family struggling with debt), we will not use full names, specific locations or images that could identify the child. For further details on our general approach to user and subject privacy, see our Privacy Policy.
Reporting Concerns and Complaints
If you believe that our coverage of a minor has breached this policy, or if you have concerns about any content involving a child or young person, please contact us immediately at complaints@marketuk.uk or via our formal Complaints Procedure. We take all such reports seriously and will investigate promptly, with any necessary corrections or removals handled in line with our Corrections Policy.
Our safeguarding commitment is part of MarketUK.uk’s broader responsibility to its readers and the public. We continuously review this policy to reflect best practice in journalism and data protection.