By Aliyah Binford | Reporter
In the First Amendment, it’s stated that we as people are allowed the freedom of the press, meaning the right to communicate, express or gather information through various forms — including printed, published and electronic media — should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Since celebrities are seen as such influential icons in society, how do their actions in the communication, expression or gathering of information factor into freedom of the press? Does freedom of the press mean celebrities shouldn’t be allowed the opportunity to have a private life just like any other individual?
Hear me out, celebrities should have privacy like the rest of us. It’s one thing to take photos of them while working or publishing information about their future projects, but it’s another to be taking photos of them when they are at home with their children or participating in their daily life, exploiting it into something horrendous for personal gain. I mean, put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if someone was constantly following you around and watching your every move because they wanted to take scandalous pictures of you that may just be something innocent in order to turn them into something worse?
We as “normal” people are allowed to stop someone from trying to take pictures of us simply because we don’t like it or because it’s of us doing something we shouldn’t and we don’t want people to see. If we can do that and see no wrong in saying, “Stop,” then why can’t celebrities have the same option?
The argument that’s constantly thrown around is if they don’t want their private life to be flashed around, then they shouldn’t be a celebrity — it’s as simple as that. Is it though? Being a celebrity has enough negative effects as it is by constantly having people hate on them, constantly having to be perfect for their audience and more. I don’t know about everyone else, but that would stress me out. Celebrities suffer from no privacy and a loss of sense of self. They suffer from a loss of challenges, imposter syndrome – the feeling of being an imposter because one does not feel they deserve their success — and the quest for media spotlight immortality. To me, who would want to deal with these thoughts every day just because they are a celebrity?
There are laws that prohibit people from taking personal information of individuals without their permission. Celebrities should be granted the same laws, but instead, the paparazzi tends to ignore these laws and broadcast their everyday life without necessary reason. Try to think about your family; think about whether you want your kids being followed and harassed for no reason at all. Now try to think about a celebrity, who at the end of the day is still a human being with a family and deserves the same respect as your family does.
A celebrity never consents to lose their privacy, as no contract says that for them to be famous, they must surrender their privacy. A person cannot reflect or grow without freedom from the scrutiny of others. The next time you watch a video about celebrity life and start to judge them or make fun of them, go ahead and put yourself in their position — think about how you would feel. I promise you would pray for a normal and private life just as much as they do.
