Law and ethics
Qualified privilege
A legal defence that protects fair, accurate reporting of certain matters, such as court and parliament, even if defamatory.
Qualified privilege is what lets you report a defamatory thing said in court or parliament without being sued for it, as long as your report is fair, accurate and not malicious. "Qualified" is the operative word: get the facts wrong, add your own spin, or act in bad faith, and the protection falls away. Handle it with care.