Esha Chanda,

Columnist (Our World)

 

They are omnipresent. Shoving cameras in your face, this all-pervading clan of photographers are always there, watching your every move closely; do you feel their eyes on you already?

You may hate them, you may like them, but one thing is for sure, you cannot ignore them. It’s sad to see a wretched tag attached to these photographers. They have been labelled as individuals who infringe privacy, who don’t care about confidentiality and without whom the tabloids would run out of business.

Their actions have been termed as despicable. They have been asked to leave celebrities alone. And in some cases, they have also been termed as murderers. Yet they thrive.

In this mad house of a business, it’s not just Hollywood celebrities who are targeted but also some of the top scientists who fall under the watchful eyes of the paparazzi. Renowned business personalities, families of politicians, writers, anyone who can create a buzz in the world, are worried about the prying eyes of the photographers.

Disrupting lives, encroaching on people’s privacy and in some cases even harassing them just to get their hands on a couple of snapshots, the paparazzi have always crossed every boundary. While some governing authorities have put their foot down and declared anti-paparazzi laws, there are still many who face the incessant clicking of cameras. Overlooking basic journalist standards, these men with their tools in hand, termed as stalkerazzi have adopted extreme means to get hold of a few snaps. They stalk their preys to break stories to create a ‘sensation’. Is this all for money? Or do they pride themselves for being the carriers of discreet information?

But at this point of time, it’s pretty much understood that celebrities, paparazzi, magazines and even the readers are dependent on each other. They fuel each other’s businesses and in case of the readers, ignite their interests. They are at the mercy of each other. So we cannot hold these shutterbugs liable for the consequences of their actions, not any more. The guilt lies with everyone. While on one hand you are upset due to the actions of the paparazzi, on the other hand, you seem to encourage their actions indirectly by purchasing tabloids that carry photographs that are acquired dishonestly. And it’s not just the images that are disconcerting; you will also be bewildered at the false stories that are carried following them. While some may argue that celebrities chose their life and that if they weren’t publicised, they won’t be recognised, the argument does not always work in the favour of the tabloid journalists.

Everyone deserves some privacy in their lives. It cannot always be an open book to read. There has to be an end to the harassment caused to the inhabitants of a society. The press does have the freedom to report news. But even this freedom comes with a boundary. While exploiting your right you cannot morph into an oppressive force that seizes other’s freedom by the neck and strangle it to death.

Having said so, it’s imperative for other factors who are involved in this debate to not encourage the paparazzi and journalists. Because by fostering their actions, you are fuelling their minds and urging them to take steps that have serious repercussions. You give in to such articles and thus compromise your own privacy by adhering to the existence of tabloid journalists.