Privacy vs. Publicity

Hello Everyone,
A question popped up to my mind while reading previous posts which is:
Does anyone who chooses the professions of acting or singing or any public career have to put up with rumours, scandals and publicity? The answer is definately NO! It is clearly unethical for the media to penetrate people's privacy because of their profession. All members of society should have privacy in their lives and be protected from exposure.
However, this does not apply to all public figures, simply because some public figures want publicity, they believe thats what brings them fame and success. Some singers and actors for are not in the field for their talent, they are only there for publicity and fame....why?...well it all pays off, the more famous they are the more advertisements they do and the higher the prices of their pictures and so on will be. Can you belive some artists sell pictures of their new born exclusively to a magazine. A really talented and respectful public figure who does not seek attention and fame shoub be respected accordingly and given the right to live a peaceful life away from the nosiness of the paparazzi cameras and tabloids.

ethics and media gossips

Of course no one can deny that they experienced sympathy towards some people that have been mocked through the media. sometimes it is entertaining to know the of the celebrity’s news from time to time, and I don’t mean the normal news like when will they release their next album etc. I mean other sort of news specially the embarrassing or the very private ones. People are always curious to find out what’s going on with their favorite celebrity’s lives. For example, in Aus in the past couple of days, most of the students were gossiping on how Haifa wahby fell on the stage when she was performing in star academy’s show. However, from my point of view, the journalists nowadays are taking it so far and they are becoming very inconsiderate to the celebrity’s feelings and they don’t mind hurting them as long as they will provide the people with hot gossips. I think the celebrity’s really personal issues should be left in peace, and that should be committees that are responsible to control how far the journalists can discuss celebrity’s lives, specially that we now the new generation we need to focus on more important issues, we need to focus on developing our countries instead of wasting our on those stupid and silly gossips. I think this should be applied on the celebrities and on the famous people, but in the same time I believe that people have the right to know details about the life of some Politicians, in the case of Clinton’s I think people had the right to know all the details because any thing in his life can affect the people’s lives. He has the most authority in the country, hes the ruler, so any personal details such as love affair can be really threatening to people’s lives. So in conclusion celebrities should be left in peace because basically we have so much more important issues to worry about, however, people have the right to know personal issues about figures that have the authority to affect their lives

Secrets are meant to be said and rules are meant to be broken!

First of all I believe that people always give the media a reason to speak about them especially celebrities like Paris Hilton & Britney Spears a very well known example that Britney Spears not long ago sat in her car with her 6 month old baby on her lap and drove! Those images give the media the chance to put her on the front page and talk about her! Or Paris Hilton and her pornographic video that was unleashed to the public. Those celebrities give the media a reason, and I believe that they enjoy the fame. Celebrities like Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow are never seen in such situations. Even in real life girls and guys give people around them to speak about them. Media should have limits to what extent they can talk about celebrities but I mean media is media. Suing, pictures, articles, and videos are what make celebrities-celebrities so without the gossip I believe that no one would have any interest in any way possible. Although I am against it completely im completely with why actors, musicians, and any one that’s famous suffer paparazzi and there made up or not made up stories. It’s unethical I don’t know if you guys have watched the movie paparazzi it made me really twice before believing any gossip there is a lot of editing and Photoshop/illustrator and fake images. If I was a paparazzi I would have limits because then if celebrities wanted there stories to be known to the public they would trust me and come to me. I would make my money properly not with the use of lies and fraud! I don’t think that reality shows have any defaults at all because reality shows have benefits, people watch them and vote and the public are the media, not only that but the stars benefit as well! They win and get record deals, or something that is valuable to them and people choose to be in those shows it’s not forced upon them. For example there is a whole channel E which is about gossip, and what celebrities are wearing et le la… It’s wrong because it gives the public a reason for them to keep adding on and gossiping more. I believe that “Gossip” is derived from the idea of “whispering.” According to my dictionary, “gossip” means “To indulge in idle talk or rumors about others; spreading of sensational stories.” Gossip is one of the most dangerous sins because it is so subtle and ambiguous many are unable to recognize it. Be on alert against gossip whenever you hear of “secret information” being circulated, or if you hear anyone else’s name is used in a conversation. Gossip exists whenever persons “talk about others” in less than a favorable way. The root of gossip is negativeness, judgementalism, slander, etc. Avoid associating with people who gossip “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much” You probably remember the old saying: “If you can’t say something good about others, don’t say anything at all.” Wise advice if you wish to avoid sin.

To tell, or not to tell !

I think the desire to know detailed information about famous people is normal. I am not saying it's good, but I am saying that its human nature to feel carious about others. If someone is famous, regardless of the reason (a movies star, a singer, a politician), people tend to wonder how this person thinks and acts in his or her personal life. Maybe the reason is that sometimes we want to prove to ourselves that these people are just like us, the slight difference is that they got lucky, some other times people need a model to follow, belong to, or even refer to, in a world of contradiction and kayos. Of course no one is perfect, but having a good example (even if this example has some negatives) is still a positive contribution to the society that can motivate other people to the well being of their societies when they find out how that person started. So whatever the reason is behind people tendency to figure out the real human behind a famous mask we cannot blame them .However, some people search for the personal information about '' people under the spot'' just for the sake finding a scandal! Honestly I think it's not fair, every one has their flows and weak points, trying to find them and make them as famous as he/she is, just for the sake of entertaining people is an inappropriate action.
On the other hand, I heard a very wise statement in Spiderman (a famous movie) the grand father before even knowing that his grandson is spider man told him that (with great power, comes great responsibility), so celebrities can't just go sue people for publishing their news, they made a choice to be famous, actually they probably worked very hard to get to where they are, to have a great influence on people, as a result they should have responsibly, it’s a logical trade off. If someone knows that they are watched by millions of people they shouldn’t do stupid actions and call it (privacy!!), in my opinion: famous folks, you made a choice, so respect it. Finally to take a stand, I think that controlling one person is easier than controlling the public. So we can't ask people to stop their curiosity , and we absolutely can't ask the media to stop announcing , because of ethical manners, because that simply will not happen , in fact, media is about propaganda, so even if the media said the truth, it will be multiplied by 100 to pull peoples attention. So I think that, famous people should consider their actions according to what they represent , and they should respect their position, I mean that what a singer can do a politician will probably not be able to do and so on .. Thank you.

Privacy and Fame

It is true that when someone becomes famous their privacy is in jeopardy. But, did you ever think why people like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, or people like them who have no real talent usually show up in the news? Why are paparazzi always fallowing them? And funny enough their news never gets boring. There is always something new with them that tabloids should cover. How is it that with more famous and talented people all we get in the news is that they attended X award and they were wearing Y dress on X award? Why don’t paparazzi fallow them in the supermarket or why don’t we get their naked pictures on the news?

I think when Britney Spears shows up in the news crying that she is tired of paparazzi fallowing her around, is just another show to get some more publicity. I think people like Britney Spears or Paris Hilton that lack an actual talent try to get more publicity or famous through tabloids no matter what the news is. In other words they don’t care about their reputation, all they care about is to be everywhere on the news. If it’s a falling baby, private videos with their boyfriends or husband, their divorce and private conversations, them not wearing an underwear, or shaving their head nothing matters to them as long as their face is on the cover of the magazine. Otherwise, how can tabloids find their private videos or private conversations on tape, or what are the paparazzi doing under the car taking picture of them wearing no underwear.
I for one do not believe that being famous sabotages ones privacy to such extant. However, being famous puts some limits on ones privacy, but not as far as Ms. Britney complains.

Behind the celebrities.

The life of celebrities is a world full of contrasts as a strip of dramatic and successive events, Events that take place in the world of spotlights. And the celebrities always show with a smile that overrides their faces, wearing the best production from the American and European custom houses. And, of course, the eyes of admirers do not stop hunting and searching for them.

That’s the life of celebrities in the world, as we always conceive through television channels and newspapers. They are the owners of the luxurious cars, large houses, and bank stocks. They are the owners of limelight, fame, admirers, And the Knights of television and press interviews.
Then we wonder when many celebrities suffer from depression, and psychological illnesses that claimed many of them to tragic ends which suicide was not the most hideous.

The bright picture of the celebrities’ lives shows only the bright masks that are worn by their owners when meeting the public, but in their private lives all masks fall; where misery and psychological torture that weighs heavily in their lives without ties and the endings are the biggest proof.

If we look at the list of celebrities who have ended their lives by suicide, then it will be difficult to take all those names. As well as celebrities who have ended their lives in psychiatric clinics, nursing homes, or in a fatal away from the simplest meaning of compassion and humanity.

We do not forget (Marilyn Monroe), the globally famous American movie star, those who landed at the top of the world cinema for many years and entered the white house associating with taboo relations with the American President John Kennedy and his brother Robert. Even today, despite the passage of the 30th anniversary of her death; the media is still talking about the memory of her death. Even now she resembles a cinematic myth which exalts the West on every occasion. But Marilyn Monroe was not happy and said so a number of times.


Celebrities are rich materials to press and media, sometimes the rumor is in favor of some celebrities especially the one in cinema. But tracking the stars and celebrities privacy should not be the main subject to the press. Like what happened to Princess Diana we must all remember. Perhaps an earlier press or taking a photo can kill a human regardless to his stardom or nickname. But the life of the celebrities will be always the target for the journalists and a very delicious meal for the reader. The relationship between the star and the press is like the relationship between the butterflies and light.

I think that this method is the cheapest method in attracting the attention of the readers. When a hand lies this affects its credibility and I have no doubt that I will never believe anything published from their side.

Privacy

This is a part where celebrities will have to live with. I think everyone should know about this before becoming famous among others. They might try their best to avoid reporters and photographers and take legal actions against them but it will never stop.
Every one has his or her personal life including celebrities. If some one wants to share parts of his or her life with others he or she will do or say it out loud by facing the public. Otherwise, no one is allowed to intervene with his or her private life.
There are aspects and incidents in our life, which we might not be happy about them and we would like to keep them as secrets. Usually we don’t have any problems we hiding these issues because no one really cares about our daily life activities, but when it comes to celebrities the case is not like that. If a celebrity does something, very soon there will be news on what he or she HAS DONE. It turns into something big and huge, which in realty it might not be the case.
On the other hand, a reporter is considered to be a good one, if he or she is capable of avoiding the cliché. He or she must come up with something, which is new or very surprising. Celebrities’ private life comes under these categories. People are interested in knowing their detailed life activities. This is what reporters try to get to.
As you can see, they are both doing their jobs! Famous people are trying to live their life without any stranger’s interference and reporters are trying to come up with a new subject for their magazine.
As much as it comes to my opinion, a reporter is allowed to interfere with some one’s life as long as he or she asks the other one nicely and he or she accepts.

PRIVACY or FAME?!

Do Celebrities Have a Right to Privacy? Do they have to be Responsible for each and every Action?

Almost all of us dreamt and wished to become a famous celebrity. This dream comes true only for few, and after achieving this dream celebrities start realizing the drawbacks of being under the spotlights all the time. Stars are not treated like normal people because of their worldwide popularity. They are accounted for each and every single action. They are not allowed to make simple mistakes because their mistakes have an affect on their fans lives more than the affect it has on their own life. Celebrities pay the cost of being famous and wealthy by losing their privacy.

Stalking remains to be celebrities nightmare. They are not safe from the attack of high powered lenses, cameras could be in their own room or car. Nowadays, people around the world are able to know so much about a star. Thanks to media and TV shows which spread out celebrities secrets and latest news. Media cater the public with minor details of stars childhood, relationships, health and drug problems…etc. Media focuses a lot on these people and makes them as models or heroes. As a result, fans start imitating their favorite celebrity in fashion, habits and a lot more.

I see celebrities as normal people who are known by a huge number of people. I feel petty for them and i believe that they deserve to have privacy like any other person on earth. They should not give up all of their privacy just because they are in the media industry. In my opinion, making fun of people in public and make their secrets known to every one for the sake of financial rewards is absolutely unethical. Programs such as star academy are so worthless and meaningless. I mean what’s the benefit of watching a group of guys and girls eating, sleeping, playing or talking to each other?? I see it as a waste of time, money and energy. It’s true that most of the people care about knowing each movement of their favorite celebrity, but that does not give journalists and media people the right to stalk celebrities and get involved in their own personal life.

Celebrities are normal people just like us. A part of their life can be shared with others, but the other part is personal and needs some privacy. Fans and media people should respect this fact and give them a piece of space and freedom. Media people have to draw some limits that fit their ethical and professional standards. Otherwise, governments should impose new laws which forbid media people from interfering in celebrities private life.

Do all celebrities actually want to hide their personal lives away from the press and their fans?
No, I don’t think so. Have you ever heard of someone saying, that bad talk is better than no talk at all. Well, many of the so-called celebrities seem to feel the say way too. They become famous but after a while the fandom may die out. What is better than some good old scandal to bring their popularity back up?
From what I have observed, I think that this is the ultimate trick of some celebrities.
It basically goes like this - When they stop talking about you, do something scandalous… controversial… and then, no worries. They’ll start again.
When you read about your “little adventure” (whatever it might have been) in the newspaper and see your pictures, act surprised and angry.
In either case you’d have achieved your goal – people start talking about you again, your name is in the headlines.

I am not saying that all “celebrities” are this way. There are some people who like their privacy, however once you enter the showbiz world I think that you should be aware of the fact that there’s bound to be a lot of people interested in your personal life.
If you’re not really into this sort of thing, then just quit.

And what about the reporters and the paparazzi?
Once again, although most of them seem to be so hated by the celebrities, these people are only doing their job. Is it really ethical?
I guess that’s more of a rhetorical question.
After all, it is the audience, that is the fans of the celebrities, politicians, etc. who want to read all these “juicy” stories. And the reporters just provide them with these details, fulfilling the duties of their job.

Ethics of Privacy

Every career has a package deal, either take it or leave it. And by taking the job that makes you famous whether by singing, acting or being a public figure, you will have to face risking your personal life for the sake of your career life and that is according to the media. It is fact that can’t be denied. Although I personally don’t agree with being tracked by the media, but the more I think about it, the more it make since at the end. These famous people are considered role models that most of us choose to follow. They have great influence on the way we think, believe and behave. As a result, it is our right to not only observes what they in terms what they for their profession, but also get exposed on a reasonable level to their life a normal individuals. The question is, does the media follow this method for the good reasons or just as a competition to grab the attention of public for financial reasons.

In terms of actors, singers and celebrities, most tabloids are trying to invade life in order to get the most out of it. These celebrates are human like us, they have their own private life that wish not to be shared with anyone else. They are just doing their job of entertaining us but other than that why do we need to watch a video of Britney Spears shaving her hair. Why do we need to know that someone got drunk and came back home late? Other than curiosity that is not necessary, I don’t think it an ethical approach.

On the other hand, politicians are the people who not only lead our country but they also represent each individual of their country. As a result his/her career and personal life should be considered before accepting his position. The reason for that if he wasn’t able to control and balance between his/her career and personal life, the credibility of the politician will get affected not only by us but by other politicians therefore affecting the relation between our countries and other.

Privacy and Entertainment

There are specific benefits and consequences to every single profession and when it comes to the entertainment business those two are very massive and clear to the eye. For those who choose to be part of that business, it is their own responsibility to cope with the good and bad sides of their profession. This kind of career puts you on the spot and you are regarded for every single move or action that you do. That is due to the fact that a lot of people perceive those actors, singers… as idols, which should be an honor and that honor should be respected and lived up to in a way to make a difference in people’s lives and send the good through them. Instead some actors and singers do not respect such responsibility and we see them doing outrageous acts, which might influence their audience especially the younger generation into perceiving such acts as normal things and “cool” things that they need to do simply because they follow their example.


When it comes to politicians, I believe that by agreeing to become a politician, it means that your life will be dedicated to the public and everything that you do should be in the benefit of the public because you are serving them first in order to serve themselves. Whatever scandals politicians make should actually be presented to the public because the people deserve to know the truth about their representatives and according to that they then will have the choice to believe in their credibility or not.

Curiosity killed the cat…or did it?

Celebrities, politicians vs. the media: it’s the eternal debate between what we WANT to know and what we OUGHT to know. A game of tug of war except where the rules are that there are no rules…….or at least some people like to think. It’s a game fuelled by peoples’ insatiable appetite for gossip, scandal and headlines, and where there are no real winners or losers.

So what should we know about public figures? In my opinion, the simple answer is that it depends. Take the “Paris Hiltons” of this world: they are who they are because of the media. They’re the so-called “famous for being famous” group of celebrities/reality show contestants who not only don’t mind media exposure but actively seek it because, at the end of the day, the more they have, the more famous they become. For these people, the question really is a mute point – they’ve openly declared “come and get it”.

But what about the traditional celebrities – the actors, singers, athletes and scientists of this world. It’s true that they became famous because of a talent and not just because of the media but it’s the media that’s put them in the headlines. Does that mean we have the right to know about every nook and cranny of their private lives? Again, I think the answer is that it depends. The classic argument that they “knew what they were getting into” doesn’t cut the ice with me simply because not all celebrities became celebrities by choice. However, many of these people have become role models for our children or ambassadors for good causes so it is only right that we know whether the people they pretend to be in public are the people they really are in private.

That’s probably even more true of politicians – after all, they are supposed to be model citizens……whiter than white. Why shouldn’t we know if the leader of the free world is cheating on his wife or was a boozer in his heyday?

But what about Average Joe/Jane, they guy or girl who gets thrust into the limelight on some realty show or TV competition? Should we know who they’re dating, how many different types of Class A drugs they’ve taken or even what color underwear they put on? More importantly, should we make fun of people on these shows at their expense? Again, I think it depends on whether they’re active, willing participants who knew the score beforehand and leapt in with eyes wide open, or whether they’re some gullible members of the public caught in a candid camera moment.

So who sets the limits on how much we need to know and what we need to know - the journalists, the celebrities, the public? I don’t think there’s any real right or wrong answer to this question but at the end of the day it’s a three way relationship: you can’t affect one without affecting the other. I don’t think ethical arguments are going to be relevant in the real world either – it’s more a question of supply and demand. As long as there is both, it’s going to be difficult to set limits other than in law.

All publicity is good publicity...

...at least when it comes to celebrities. Gossip, scandals, and rumors can all be considered as forms of public relations to endorse celebrity images. It's no surprise that as soon as celebs are off the map or not getting enough press coverage, some controversial story surrounding them pops up all over the tabloids. Why should the public feel bad for what actors and singers know what they're getting into in the first place? If they choose to lead the lives they lead in exchange for their private lives, they shouldn't complain about it. The celebrities that want to stay out of the limelight do so by staying out of Hollywood and steering clear of famous hotspots. An example of this is Johnny Depp. He lives in Paris and you rarely hear anything about his family. No pictures of his children have ever been revealed by magazines to the public, as opposed to the children of Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise, who get their pictures published in famous magazines in exchange for millions of dollars. They are entertainers. The entertainment industry is a big one. People are infatuated by the supposedly glamourous lives of celebs, and the tabloids are expected to feed this infatuation of theirs by providing stories. Is it ethical and moral or not? I think the real question is: does it matter? It's how things work. Being a member of the paparazzi has become a full-time profession, and magazines make tons of money by providing the most up-to-date stories abot different celebrities. Whether it is ethical or not is not going to change anything.

As for reality shows, I think they gain a lot rather than lose when people start making fun of the contestants. To make fun of the contestants means having to watch the show in the first place, which in turn leads to discussing the show with other people. This generates hype. Hype equals to popularity and higher ratings. Additionally, participants in reality shows realize that their exeriences will be documented for public viewing; they shouldnt be surprised if people choose to mock or laugh at certain things. It's what people do.

I don't this is a problem in the entertainment industry, I think it is how the industry itself chooses to operate, so there really isn't anything to solve or change.

As for other public figures (like politicians), some publicity is bad. This is evident in the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. The more scandals surrounding politicans, the less credibility and public acceptance they gain. It all depends on who wants to expose who to gain what. Politics is a dirty game, and politicians should be careful with what gets revealed when it comes to their personal lives as this affects their profession more negatively than positively.

Media Ethics, Privacy and Entertainment

Did you ever feel pity for a person who was made fun of while laughing watching one of the TV show? Have you ever imagined yourself in Britney Spears shoes, having to be followed by paparazzis all the time, and having to explain herself and every little detail of her life to journalists? Remember the story of Bill Clinton and Monica Lwensky and how it was uncoverd for the public.
If you are a public figure or a celebrity, how far the public can know about your private life? Is a price that you ahve to pay for being popular and rich or in power? or do the media people have some limits drawn by their ethical and professional standards?
Can we make fun of people in public and make their secterts known to every one for the sake of finanial reward?
how ethical is it to make fun of people particiapating reality shows (e.i.Star Academy, Super Star and X factor)?
How do you think this dilema can be settled, by the journalists (media people) themselves or external organizations and bodies or by celebrities theselves? as people can argue that celebrities bring this to themselves by exposing themselves and their families to the mass media