Werther’s moral dilemma

Another suicide attempt by a 16-year-old student. No — I am not going to write another word about the incident itself. Every journalist knows that the Code of Professional Ethics, which sets out our rights and responsibilities, covers suicide explicitly. It states, word for word, that “reporting on suicides and suicide attempts is as a rule avoided. In the exceptional cases where publication is justified, media outlets and journalists must demonstrate sensitivity and particular care.”

I will...