Should the paparazzi be banned because of harassment? Many people are discussing the new Sky Documentaries release on the rise and fall of Britney Spears titled “Framing Britney Spears.” Over 220,000 people watched it the night it came out in the United Kingdom alone.
I watched the documentary because I was interested in learning about Spears’s custody battle and the current guardianship dispute with her father in court.
Instead, I was terrified of the footage showing the paparazzi waiting outside the washroom door to blind her with camera flashes. It’s not possible for her to get out of the washroom through the crowd. We are a country where criminal harassment is illegal. How are the paparazzi allowed to do what they do?
Should paparazzi be made illegal?
The answer seems to be that they have the right to take pictures of someone in a public place. That’s fine and I respect people’s right to make a living. But is waiting for someone outside a washroom acceptable? Is blocking someone’s car from getting out of their driveway something to be tolerated?
The paparazzi must be regulated. There must be limits on where people can take pictures, and during which time of day they can do so. For example, a celebrity should be able to go out on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday without pictures. Perhaps the rest of the week is okay.