Hollywood celebrities get mobbed by dozens of paparazzi almost every time they go out on the streets. They get photographed just by walking, eating and even while they are sitting at a restaurant or coffee shop.
Although the thought of paparazzi camping outside the homes of celebrities is disturbing, what really draws the line is how they can take pictures of the children of celebrities and sell them online or to newspaper and magazine companies.
Hilary Duff's incident
Just recently, Hilary Duff posted a video on her Instagram account with the caption "Paparazzi shooting KIDS." The actress and singer then added more caption to the video. "Go 'practice' your photography on ADULTS! Creep! Laws need to change! This is stalking minors! Disgusting!"
The said video has garnered 2 million views, and the man in the video stated that he can legally take professional photographs and he even offered to show Duff his ID. The man also claimed that he was innocent and that Duff was just paranoid. But given the history of celebrities being harassed by paparazzi and them taking pictures of celebrity children without any adult consent, Duff's confrontation was justified.
Laws about photographing children
In 2014, the state of California passed a bill that protects children from being the subject of photographers. According to an article posted on the Huffington Post, the bill also protects children from judges, police officers and other children whose parents attract unwanted attention.
In January 2014, the bill took effect and paparazzi who took pictures or videos of children without the consent of their parents received jail time which lasted 10 days to 12 months with a $10,000 fine. Numerous celebrities supported the bill, from actresses Halle Berry, Nikki Reed and Jennifer Garner to actor Ben Affleck.
The dangers of paparazzi
Actress Jennifer Garner said in an interview in 2013 that her children were traumatized because of the herd of photographers camping outside their home, waiting for them to come out.
Actress Halle Berry also said in a 2013 interview that she moved to France in order to protect her daughter, Nahla, from the constant harassment of the press. Paparazzi are not just taking pictures, numerous videos of them surfaced online showing how loud and obnoxious they get. They often go below the belt with their questions and they shout obscenities to celebrities, and it is an inappropriate environment for children.
As for Hilary Duff, she ended up calling the police on the man who took pictures of her son during a soccer game, but she shared on her social media account that the authorities were dismissive about it because the incident happened at a public park. She then called for change on the law, saying that they should still be protected even if they are in a public place.
Call for action
The general public is aware of how dangerous paparazzi can be. They trespass, stalk and verbally harass celebrities. In 2007, Britney Spears infamously attacked a member of the paparazzi after she was followed around the whole day and pushed her too far, causing her to break down. They snapped topless photos of Duchess Kate Middleton while she was on vacation in France and they are even involved in the tragic accident that caused the death of Princess Diana back in 1997.
Despite the negative reputation of paparazzi, their number grew over the years. And because of the increase in new technology, it makes stalking and taking pictures without consent so much easier. Numerous celebrities, including Duff, is asking for a stricter law against stalkers and paparazzi in order to protect their family and keep their private life private.
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