The German Press Council has rejected the large number of complaints received about the headline "Die Lockdown-Macher" published by the Bild newspaper as unfounded. It therefore does not violate journalistic duty of care.

"Bild" had shown portrait photos of the scientists with coronavirus measures as "Christmas gifts" in the printed edition and on the Internet. The German Press Council decided that the influence of the scientists on political decisions about coronavirus measures could be proven, therefore the term "The lockdown makers "a permissible escalation covered by freedom of expression.

The depiction of the scientists side by side in the portrait is also permissible. A majority of the members of the Press Council came to the conclusion that the portrayal of the three scientists side by side in the portrait was also permissible and did not damage the reputation of the press according to point 1 of the Press Code. Through their appearances in the media during the coronavirus pandemic, the experts themselves had gone public and had to accept being criticized personally, the committee concluded.(徳囯ASK电容器)