Paparazzi’s Impact on Celebrity Privacy
As technology advances, our access to information and people increases as well. Social media have allowed users to connect with family, friends, and celebrities. Even though celebrities benefit from fans having an inside look into their day-to-day lives.
Celebrities are still battling with the paparazzi invading their privacy. In 2022, at New York fashion week, 9- year-old North West was upset. According to instyle.com, North wrote “ Stop ” on a sign while starring the paparazzi at the Jean-Paul Gaultier show.
The paparazzi continued to take photos and videos despite her feeling uncomfortable. Kim Kardashian might not mind being in the spotlight, her children might not feel the same way.
The word paparazzi originated from the film La Dolce Vita (1960), produced by Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. The character Walter Santesso portrays a news photographer named Paparazzo. This role helped shape the view of the paparazzi's nosey nature.
Today, paparazzi can make anywhere from 20% to 70% of the royalties the picture earns, reported on bbc.com. The deal negotiated between the photographer and the agency will determine the final payout.
In the mid-2000s, Mel Bozard was one of the top paparazzi in Los Angeles. Bozard captured a picture of the popular couple at the time, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, in Georgia and made $150,000.
With payouts that size, the eagerness of the paparazzi would increase to get the perfect shot. Ethics come into play when paparazzi go to any lengths to get an up-close picture of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Britney Spears shared on her Instagram in 2021, “Paps took pics of me coming out of a public bathroom…I mean, how embarrassing is that, “according to usatoday.com.
Going to the bathroom is intimate, and the average person would not want photographs. The paparazzi were relentless when it came to following Spears every move. Spears would often complain about the harassment.
According to definitions.uslegal.com, Harassment is unwanted, unwelcomed, and uninvited behavior that demeans, threatens, or offends the victim and results in a hostile environment for the victim.
Displays of this behavior were evident in the Netflix documentary Britney vs Spears, paparazzi would even follow her while she was driving home. The media attention and the conservatorship eventually caused her to have a public meltdown, which the paparazzi captured.
The paparazzi exploited her most vulnerable moments for money and caused harm to her mental health. The pictures impacted her career. A picture can capture a moment but often does not tell the whole story.
Celebrities like Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, and more supported Senate Bill 606, which advocates for the privacy of celebrity children in California. Reports on E! News stated this was implemented in 2013 due to countless examples of harassment.
In order for celebrities to protect their privacy and the ones they love. Often they become very private on social media, and media appearances are limited. Also, they are very particular about who they let into their inner circle, like Beyonce.
Paparazzi will continue to exist, and companies buying the photos should remember the people in the picture and their personal lives.
