Can celebrities expect privacy? (2024)

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Can celebrities expect privacy? (1)

By Genevieve Hassan

Entertainment reporter, BBC News

The phone hacking scandal, currently centred on the News of the World, has reignited the debate on privacy and press regulation.

But how much privacy can, and should, celebrities - who make their living in the public eye - expect?

For years, the tabloid press has made its reputation on "exclusives" involving celebrities' private lives.

Stars frequently take out injunctions against newspapers preventing them from revealing possible indiscretions.

The recent phone hacking scandal has drawn claims that up to 3,000 celebrities, politicians and sports stars had their communications monitored.

Some stars have been vocal on the issue, especially Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan, who both claim to have had their mobiles tampered with.

Yet the relationship between celebrities and the media is such that, arguably, one cannot exist without the other.

'Delicate balance'

Jeremy King, editor of industry paper Media Week, says that although celebrities are in the public eye, it does not necessarily make them "fair game".

"It's a delicate balance between celebrities from the Y-list up to the D-list, who are quite happy to reveal their inner secrets, and the A- and B-list, who go about their business and guard their private lives.

"People are happily hacking to get exclusives from A-listers because they're slightly unusual.

"But if you court the media in the first place and don't like it when they say something nasty, then unfortunately once you push the toothpaste out of the tube it's hard to get it back in."

According to media commentator Mark Borkowski, celebrities need to realise that to a certain extent they are public property.

Despite this, he continues, it can still be possible for them to have a private life.

"If you want privacy, you can obtain it by keeping a delicate balance between the needs of promoting what you have to professionally - and how you conduct your life," he explains.

"You need to have a long-term commitment to the amount of fame you have generated.

"You can't switch it on and off, so you have to have a strategy of dealing with it."

Protection

The role of the PR machine is a key player in the issue.

On the one hand, a publicist may tip off the media as to their clients' whereabouts or promote their latest project.

On the other, a PR could be working hard to limit the damage after an unfavourable story.

Celebrity PR consultant Max Clifford says the biggest part of his business is protecting the image of his clients, not promotion.

"If I have a star on my books that has always desperately kept themselves private, then they deserve greater protection," he says.

"[But] if you use the media, you can't complain too much when the media uses you."

Clifford believes there can be times when it is justified to make private lives public knowledge, provided the information is legally obtained.

"There's loads of people that would be the victims of kiss-and-tells that I've stopped because it wouldn't have been justified."

But he adds: "If a politician is lecturing about family values while they're having affairs, then they deserve to be shown up."

"Rich people can afford a PR person or lawyer who can stop it. But if it does slip through and you get caught out playing away, you only have yourself to blame."

Borkowski dismisses the suggestion that if a celebrity has a PR company behind them they are probably trying to hide something.

"If people hire an accountant, are they trying to fiddle their tax?" he asks rhetorically.

"Good PR people are doing their job, which is to manage the media," he says.

Public demand

The public play a huge part in the privacy debate, thanks to the rise in gossip columns and magazines whose readership depends on an appetite for celebrity scandals.

"The incessant need of the public to know what every celebrity is doing is phenomenal," King says.

"Ironically, this same public are equally outraged when it comes to normal civilians having their private lives publicly played out."

The phone hacking scandal was relatively low on the news agenda when it appeared that celebrities were the only ones targeted.

When it became clear it also involved members of the public, however, public outrage escalated.

"Their attitude is, 'Max Clifford and Sienna Miller use the media and do very well from it, so I won't lose too much sleep over it,'" says Clifford.

So will the scandal change the relationship between celebrities and the media? "It has changed the nature of tabloid journalism forever," Borkowski declares.

Yet King doesn't agree. "Certain celebrities are so desperate for publicity, they'll take the lows as long as they get more highs - and more coverage.

"But higher profile stars will probably think twice about doing exclusive interviews and be more acutely aware of what they do."

Clifford hopes a new press regulator, if instigated, would help tackle the "excesses" of the media.

"You've got to have a free press in this country, and when they get it wrong they must be punished and shown up," he says.

"Hopefully we'll have a half-way house and avoid a privacy law, which to me is totally wrong in any democracy.

"The press must be free, but they must be responsible."

Can celebrities expect privacy? (2024)

FAQs

Do celebrities have a right to privacy? ›

Currently, no federal law in the U.S. protects celebrities' right to publicity. However, states like California have established statutes and common law to protect celebrity citizens.

How much privacy should a celebrity have? ›

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.

How do celebrities deal with privacy? ›

Some celebrities are known for stopping to chat with fans, sign autographs and pose for photos whereas other celebrities prefer to avoid the limelight where possible. As long as you are consistent and courteous at all times, then fans will typically give you more space and respect your desire for privacy.

What could be done to allow famous people more privacy? ›

Here are a few suggestions on how celebrities can manage their private life and deal with the media.
  • Monitor Your Fame and Adjust Accordingly. The first step a celebrity can do is to monitor their fame. ...
  • Develop A Plan. ...
  • Be Consistent In Dealing With The Media. ...
  • Stay Out Of The Spot Light. ...
  • Watch Your Actions. ...
  • Learn From Others.
Dec 23, 2018

What is the right to privacy of celebrities and public figures? ›

Specifically, California recognizes both common law and statutory rights. California Civil Code, Section 3344, provides that it is unlawful, for the purpose of advertising or selling, to knowingly use another's name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness without that person's prior consent.

Is it illegal to pose as a celebrity? ›

Celebrity rights are generally protected through publicity rights, wherein no one else can commercialize the celebrity's name/ pose without their permission.

Why should famous people be given more privacy? ›

Famous people should be given more privacy by the media as they are too humans and they need to be in a private for some reasons. According to Shoai (2012), the constant attention given to famous people make their personal lives get over exposed and they are brought to public more often than they want.

How do celebrities go out without being noticed? ›

The first, and most oft used solution, is to fly private. In Los Angeles and New York (and, slightly less so, London), the paparazzi know to camp out at the arrivals deck, waiting to pry on semi-innocent celebrities who have just touched down from a long flight.

Do celebrities need security all the time? ›

Apart from security issues and constant threats to celebrities in a public place, they also need personal protection. Most celebrities hire bodyguards to keep them safe in any situation at any place. Fans are known to get violent around celebrities by touching, scratching or physically hurting them.

Is it okay to approach a celebrity in public? ›

It's perfectly fine to approach the celebrity and ask for selfies or autographs during fan events, such as meet and greets or signings.

How do I stop celebrity stalking? ›

Make sure you have supportive family and friends in place. Get rid of the items that remind you of your obsession. This may involve boxing items and giving them away, or storing them in an attic or garage. This will help you ceremoniously condense and “put away” your thoughts and feelings and set you on a new path.

How do celebrities feel safe? ›

Most of the time, when a celebrity is traveling, he or she will have some type of security personnel with them. This might be one bodyguard or a whole team of security guards. The bodyguards' job is to protect the celebrity from any potential danger.

Why is privacy so important? ›

Privacy gives us the power to choose our thoughts and feelings and who we share them with. Privacy protects our information we do not want shared publicly (such as health or personal finances). Privacy helps protect our physical safety (if our real time location data is private).

Why do people care about privacy? ›

The more someone knows about us, the more power they can have over us. Personal data is used to make very important decisions in our lives. Personal data can be used to affect our reputations; and it can be used to influence our decisions and shape our behavior. It can be used as a tool to exercise control over us.

Why is privacy a moral right? ›

Privacy has moral value because it shields us in all three contexts by providing certain freedom and independence — freedom from scrutiny, prejudice, pressure to conform, exploitation, and the judgment of others.

Is a celebrity an all purpose public figure? ›

An all-purpose public figure has achieved “pervasive fame or notoriety,” like a traditional celebrity. On the other hand, a limited-purpose public figure is injected into “a particular public controversy and thereby becomes a public figure for a limited range of issues.

Is privacy a human right or privilege? ›

Privacy is a fundamental human right recognized in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights and in many other international and regional treaties. Privacy underpins human dignity and other key values such as freedom of association and freedom of speech.

What is the public's right to privacy? ›

Legally, the right of privacy is a basic law which includes: The right of persons to be free from unwarranted publicity. Unwarranted appropriation of one's personality. Publicizing one's private affairs without a legitimate public concern.

Why don t celebrities sue paparazzi? ›

Paparazzi are independent photographers who take pictures of celebrities. Unless a paparazzi alters or stages the photograph so it what is appears to show is untrue, the paparazzi is not guilty of defamation and suing the paparazzi would be pointless.

Do celebrities pay paparazzi? ›

In a recent video released by Brut India, photographer Varinder Chawla said that some people do “talk about paid promotions” but “if the content has negativity, we avoid them even if those are paid promotions.” But upon being asked directly if the celebrities pay the photographers, Varinder said, “No, celebrities never ...

Can you simp for a celebrity? ›

Urban Dictionary defines a simp as "someone who does way too much for a person they like". This behavior, known as simping, is carried out toward a variety of targets, including celebrities, politicians, e-girls, and e-boys.

Are the famous people treated unfairly by the media? ›

Famous people are treated unfairly by the media. They must be given more privacy. The Media has always been concerned about famous people's personal life and their privacy, whether they are doing the right thing or a bad thing. . The media has gone too far, they are invading the famous person's privacy.

Are celebrities in control of their social media? ›

Most celebrities don't write their own social media posts. That includes those carefully orchestrated fee based brand posts. In reality, most celebrities outsource to agencies and managers to assist them in what can be a full time job.

How do celebrities influence the public? ›

Celebrities can have a positive influence on youth. In fact, they can serve as role models. But famous people, whether they're singers, actors, and other celebrities, can also provide unhealthy examples. In particular, celebrity influence on body image and substance use is often detrimental to teen mental health.

What not to say when you meet a celebrity? ›

DON'T SAY:

"I'm a fan." "I love your work." "You inspire me." They've heard it a million times. You're not telling them anything new. You're burdening your favorite star with unwanted clichés. They'll probably be gracious about it, but their eyes will be dead.

Why is it so hard to contact celebrities? ›

Meeting or contacting a famous person can be difficult because of their busy schedules and their strong desire for personal privacy. But with a little work and some light research, getting in touch with celebrities is possible through online means, physical mail, and agents/publicists.

How do celebrities hide themselves in public? ›

Wigs, sunglasses, costumes and even Halloween masks have been some of their best allies. Find out here some of the most popular celebrity-in-disguise stories!

Who is the most trusted celebrity? ›

Hanks is the most trustworthy celebrity in Hollywood, according to our most recent Forbes/E-Score list. For its E-Score Celebrity service, E-Poll Research ranks more than 6,600 bold-faced names on 46 attributes through public opinion polling.

How much do celebrities pay their bodyguards? ›

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $150,500 and as low as $18,500, the majority of Celebrity Security salaries currently range between $31,500 (25th percentile) to $88,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $122,500 annually across the United States.

Which celebrity spends the most on security? ›

1. Donald Trump. Even though Donald Trump has Secret Service protection for life as a former president, those costs add up quickly.

Is it OK to text a celebrity? ›

You absolutely can text a celebrity. But the question is, 'will you receive a response?' Celebrities are notoriously hard to reach, mainly due to their unrelenting schedule, the plethora of fans, and severe security measures.

Will a celebrity see my DM? ›

Celebrities can always check their DMs. Every message sent to them goes into their request section. However it's pretty common knowledge for a celebrity to never go though it due to the things they could potentially see.

Is it rude to ask celebrities for pictures? ›

When asking for an autograph or a picture, always be polite. Say “please” when asking, and say “thank you” when they have signed or after the picture has been taken. Remember that celebrities appreciate manners, too. Don't scream at them.

What are people who stalk celebrities called? ›

Some experts have described the behavior of paparazzi as synonymous with stalking, and anti-stalking laws in many countries address the issue by seeking to reduce harassment of public figures and celebrities, especially when they are with their children.

What causes people to stalk celebrities? ›

Individuals who have personal thoughts about their favorite celebrity frequently, feel compelled to learn more about them, pursue them consistently, threatened to harm them and were prone to boredom were more likely to engage in celebrity stalking.

Can a celebrity fall in love with a fan? ›

When a chance meeting between a celebrity and a fan becomes an unlikely love story... Stars—they're just like us: They can't help who they fall in love with. Every so often, that results in an A-lister being taken with a non-famous person. And some celebrities actually end up married to their biggest fans.

How much security do celebrities have? ›

Moyer says celebrities can spend $100,000 to $1 million a year on security depending on the services, with the average between $250,000 and $500,000.

How do you confront a celebrity? ›

Be polite and casual with them. Try not to freak out and act differently around them. Celebrities will likely appreciate being treated like regular people. You can compliment their work and tell them you are a huge fan, but try not to go overboard (like scream and cry) when you talk to them.

What are five potential risks of using celebrities? ›

The results of the study indicate that there are five factors related to the potential risks of celebrity endorsem*nts. These factors are: Multiple Product Endorsem*nts, Financial Risk, Tarnished Brand Image, Misleading Advertisem*nt and Negative Publicity.

What happens when you have no privacy? ›

Without privacy, the pressure to be like others might stop an individual from forming his own values, beliefs and opinions. For example: Living in a large family or group with no privacy might make someone feel he or she has to go along with whatever the group or its leaders consider correct beliefs and behavior.

What are the disadvantages of privacy? ›

Even though people may think that their profiles are “private”, they really aren't. Some more disadvantages of privacy and the Internet are theft of personal information, spamming, and virus threats. When you use the internet personal information can be stolen by many people.

What is the right to be let alone? ›

The right to be let alone was enshrined in the Fourth Amendment. It prohibits searches and seizures unless justified by a warrant issued by a neutral magistrate based on probable cause to believe that the place to be searched or the person to be seized is implicated in crime.

What is the value of privacy? ›

Privacy is about the freedom to make choices without fear: how you want to live, what you believe in, who you are friends with, and what you want to share with whom.

Why should I care about privacy if I have nothing to hide? ›

Privacy underpins a healthy democracy, and ensures our freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. The erosion of privacy is something that affects all people, even those who have nothing to hide.

How do you respect someone's privacy? ›

There are some basic principles to respect other's privacy:
  1. Listen to the other person with full attention. ...
  2. Try to focus on the verbal cues anyone gives you during a talk. ...
  3. Consider and remember that everyone has his own goals, plans, feeling, in sum- whole life.
Mar 4, 2020

Do we deserve a right to privacy? ›

Privacy rights help maintain social boundaries. Everyone has things they don't want certain people to know. Having the right to establish boundaries is important for healthy relationships and careers. In the past, putting up boundaries simply meant choosing to not talk about specific topics.

Does everyone have a right to privacy? ›

In 1992, the United States ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a human rights treaty that guarantees privacy rights. More specifically, Article 17 of the ICCPR protects everyone from arbitrary or unlawful interferences with their “privacy, family, home, or correspondence.”

Why is privacy a negative right? ›

These rights are called negative rights because such rights are a claim by one person that imposes a "negative" duty on all others—the duty not to interfere with a person's activities in a certain area. The right to privacy, for example, imposes on us the duty not to intrude into the private activities of a person.

Can brands use celebrities in social media without permission? ›

Using someone's face for promotional purposes

Using someone's portrait without permission is prohibited by law.

Is it illegal to post pictures of celebrities? ›

In California, the right of publicity says that you have the right to your name and likeness. You also have the right to your photograph. The unauthorized use of any of these things is illegal. However, use, in this case, means using it for monetary gain.

What is the celebrity rights act? ›

The Celebrities Rights Act is a 1985 California statute which allows a celebrity's personality rights to survive his or her death. The Act nullified an earlier holding in the 1979 case before the California Supreme Court in Lugosi v.

Do you need permission to use a celebrity photo? ›

Using a person's image for commercial purposes could expose you to a potential legal action for defamation and for 'passing off'. 'Passing off' means that an infringement of the law would take place if it could be inferred from your artwork that a link existed between you and another person when this was not the case.

Can I sell a shirt with a celebrity face on it? ›

It's generally not permissible to print celebrity images on merchandise without authorization to do so. Business owners who use celebrity images on T-shirts without permission are potentially setting themselves up for a legal battle that could lead to a big payout to the celebrities involved.

How do celebrities protect their online privacy? ›

It's common for celebrities to have a set of contact information that is filtered by assistants, agents, and managers. This helps to put a layer of privacy between them and people trying to find out where they live, such as paparazzi or overly dedicated fans.

Can I put a picture of a dead celebrity on a shirt and sell it? ›

Even if a celebrity is deceased, they can pass the right of publicity to their successors. Therefore the deceased celebrity's representative of his or her estate has the right to authorize anyone who wants to use the celebrity's image for merchandise.

Is it rude to ask celebrities for a photo? ›

When asking for an autograph or a picture, always be polite. Say “please” when asking, and say “thank you” when they have signed or after the picture has been taken. Remember that celebrities appreciate manners, too. Don't scream at them.

How much does sue get for I'm a celebrity? ›

Coronation Street veteran Sue Cleaver is reportedly being paid £115,000 to star on I'm A Celebrity 2022.

Do celebrities have access to their own money? ›

They might have a personal account and credit card for daily personal expenses, but don't have direct access to the bulk of their net-worth. Their accountant has. But the accountant of a celebrity is usually not a person of public interest, so their personal information is not as accessible to the public.

Why is it not illegal to take pictures of celebrities? ›

When a person is in public, the laws considers that they have no reasonable expectation of privacy, therefore, you can pretty much take a picture or video of anyone or anything you wish.

Can my photo be taken without permission? ›

There is no law preventing people from taking photographs in public. This includes taking photos of other people's children.

What images can I use without permission? ›

Photos that are in the public domain are not protected by copyright, have no limitations on use, and no fees for any type of usage. Images in the public domain include most photographs that are more than 100 years old, and any photo produced by a government or government agency.

Is it OK to ask a celebrity for a selfie? ›

Related to the point above: If you absolutely must approach them and the initial conversation is fine, ask politely for a photo and be grateful no matter their answer.

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