The Press Recognition Panel (PRP) has published new YouGov polling showing strong public support for truly independent regulation of the press, and widespread feeling that, more than a decade on from the Leveson Inquiry, unfair and misleading reporting, press intrusion, and other problematic practices are becoming increasingly common today.
The research provides a timely snapshot of public attitudes towards press regulation and accountability, coming amid renewed debate about press standards following ITV’s The Hack and with legal cases related to phone hacking and unethical newsgathering still progressing through the courts.
What the public says
Support for independent regulation
Around four in five people support major news publishers – including newspapers, magazines and online outlets – being regulated. Over half (54%) want a regulator independent of both government and the press industry, while 22% favour a statutory, Ofcom-style model. Only 3% support an industry-run body – an example of which would be IPSO.
Concerns about declining standards
Four in five respondents believe journalists often invade people’s privacy, and seven in ten (72%) say the press often publishes false or misleading information and fails to correct mistakes. Despite the measures put in place by the industry following the Leveson Inquiry, six in ten people believe false or misleading stories (63%) and unfair treatment of individuals and groups (60%) are becoming more common.
Influence and bias
Around four in five believe politicians (77%) and wealthy individuals (83%) have significant influence over the press, and three-quarters think informal ‘deals’ between the press and politicians are often made for favourable coverage or political influence. Six in ten (61%) believe politicians avoid challenging the press to maintain good relations.
Access to justice
Four in five people believe the press pays attention to complaints from rich people, but only one in four thinks it listens to ordinary members of the public. Just one in five (20%) feel confident they would know where to complain about a news story they thought was unfair or inaccurate in the first place, and the same small proportion (21%) believe an ordinary person would see a false or misleading story corrected – compared with around two in three who think a politician (65%) or celebrity (62%) would.
Kathryn Cearns OBE, Chair of the PRP, said:
“This research shows a clear public demand for press regulation that is independent, effective, and accountable, and overwhelming opposition to industry-run models such as IPSO acting as the regulator and final arbitrator of complaints.
“The issues raised in ITV’s The Hack are not confined to the past. Despite the Leveson Inquiry and subsequent industry-led changes, most people think press intrusion and the publication of misleading information are actually increasing and that ordinary people would struggle to get redress when things go wrong. A large majority view the current system as biased in favour of the rich and powerful and that politicians and the press do deals with each other in return for favourable coverage.
“The public want change. The framework for genuinely independent regulation already exists, but successive governments have reneged on pledges to properly back it, with most of the press choosing not to participate as a result. That leaves the industry operating without proper accountability and the public unprotected. For the sake of the victims of press harm, and to prevent further erosion of public trust in the press at a time when people are turning to an array of unregulated sources for news, we can’t allow this drift to continue.”
The PRP is calling on:
- News publishers to join a recognised independent regulator, reform IPSO so that it can meet the Royal Charter criteria, or come together to form a new body capable of seeking recognition.
- Government and Parliament to encourage this change and explore further measures to strengthen accountability and protect the public from press harm.
- The public and stakeholders to continue sharing their views through the PRP’s ongoing Call for Information on the effectiveness and future direction of press regulation in the UK (closing date 19 December 2025).
Findings from the Call for Information will inform the PRP’s next Annual Report on the Recognition System and help identify practical steps to strengthen press accountability and public confidence in the years ahead.
Read the full YouGov report
Respond to the Call for Information
