Should paparazzi be made illegal?

[max_tranmere]

Paparazzi is legalised stalking, and for many years we didn't have it very much in this country. But as we beome more and more like America and have celebrity trash mags, and the celebrity coverage in newspapers being about 5 times as much as it was 10-15 years ago, we now have paparazzi stalking celebrities everywhere they go. I find it amazing how a popstar can be followed everywhere they go, a convey of vehicles can chase them, people can stand outside their frontdoor 24/7, and no one is arrested for stalking. A lot of the increase in pap activity in Britain can be put down to that fat Australian weirdo, who has pink hair, who you always see on TV. As far as I am aware, paparazzi activity is illegal in France - you have to have someone's written permission to photograph them. Should it be outlawed here? I think it should be.

[Peter]

As long as you make any kind of publicity event illegal too, then fine. But I suspect what 'they' want is for the media to cover their antics when they want the publicity, and cover-up their antics when it suits them, too.

I'm sure Winehouse would love to pick and choose which of her antics got covered.

[max_tranmere]

I think celebs have a period of being on duty and periods when they are off duty. For Lily Allen to be snapped arrving at an awards ceremony, or leaving, is ok. But to have a swarm of photographers surrounding her when she walks her dog, and she has to try and walk around them as they are constantly blocking her way and sticking cameras in her face, is out of order. That really is legalised stalking. If I was some weirdo who fancied stalking people, all I'd have to do would be to hold a camera in my hand and I could do anything. Stand outside someones house 16 hours a day, every day, follow them to Tesco's and back, it gives me a licence to do things I couldn't do if I didn't have a camera.

[jimslip]

Yeah, string 'em all up, especially that Aussie cunt with the Mohican haircut.

[JonnyHungwell]

Can't say I'm that bothered what they do. I'm not interested in celebs private lives and never read any publication that prints this sort of stuff.

[harmonyluvver]

It needs some restrictions putting on it, they have no ethics and no limits to how far they will go to get a pic, even to the point of endangering people.

How can it be ok to shove a camera up some girls skirt as she is getting in/out of a car. If it was your wife or daughter wouldn't you want to smack the b*st*rd. But whenever anyone does snap they are all up in arms and crying assault. They use the defence that its part of being a celeb well maybe getting chinned should be part of being a pap.