Just 21% felt publishing the photos was in the public interest, despite warnings from the Royal Family’s lawyers that it was an intrusion into the Prince’s private life. The two photos show Harry and a naked woman apparently playing strip billiards in a Las Vegas hotel suite. Many more women (71%) thought it infringed his privacy – compared to just 58% of men.
But with the pictures already being available on the internet, 14% of those surveyed had already seen the images, rising to 17% of women. Nearly half (48%) said they had no interest in seeing them – on or offline.
The research was conducted by rapid online polling company, Usurv, following The Sun’s publication of the pictures this morning. The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) said it has already received over 60 complaints about the images from members of the public.
The publication of the pictures has highlighted the topic of press freedom and privacy, following the recent Leveson Inquiry into press ethics. Media commentators have seen the questions about press ethics raised at the inquiry as a key reason that no other British newspapers have published the naked pictures of Prince Harry.
Participants were asked:
Had you already seen the naked photos of Prince Harry on the internet before The Sun published them this morning?
Yes: 14%
No: 37%
Not interested in seeing them online or in print: 48%
Do you think The Sun was right to print the pictures?
No, it infringes his privacy: 63%
Yes, it is in the public interest and they are available on the internet anyway: 21%
Don't know: 16%
Guy Potter, director and market researcher at Usurv said: “There’s been a lot of discussion in the media about The Sun’s decision to publish the Prince Harry pictures, but our research shows that nearly two thirds of the general public overwhelmingly believe it infringes his privacy. Interestingly despite the fact that they have been freely available on the internet for days, nearly half of respondents simply weren’t interested in viewing them – backing up the saying, ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.’ The Leveson Inquiry has focused on the issue of press ethics and our survey shows that the general public seems to value people’s privacy over the chance to ogle salacious pictures of Prince Harry undressed.”
The findings are based on an online survey of 1,000 UK adults on 24th August 2012.
About Usurv
Usurv says: “Usurv is an internet company which has developed a self-service online survey platform that delivers the fastest, most cost effective method of running short online surveys. Initially available in the UK, it has opened up the market for this kind of quantitative research by making it accessible to small businesses for the first time, as well as providing a more efficient, faster solution to traditionally heavy users of research such as major brands, marketers and PRs.
The company was established in the UK in January 2012 by a team that includes successful online entrepreneur, Martin Bysh, and experienced market research director, Guy Potter. It is based in London and is privately held.”
