Everyone loves gossip. From the gossip of a neighbor dating a cool dude, a colleague having a extramarital affair, or a distant cousin coming out, to a celebrity having a safari vacation in Africa, gossip is somehow a part of people’s everyday lives. And when these tales are spiced up a little bit, they go viral in the community. While these tell tales might not follow an average Joe for a long time, for people reputed in the entertainment industry, the paparazzi follow them like a parent following their 3-year-old. Irrespective of whether or not there is consent, the media relentlessly strives to dig up every inch of these famous people’s life history.

There has always been a mutual relationship between celebrities and the general public. While these big names influence the society, the same society also chooses, through their support, who they want to follow. They all need one another. Celebrities greatly impact the society in many ways. Boys around the world follow Lionel Messi and his haircut. Kylie Jenner tells the world the best way to apply makeup, and a superstar’s Instagram page shapes a commoner’s way of life. A public figure should definitely expect to have their activities presented to the public, but when the paparazzi shovel digs deep, it can get bad. Need an example? Let’s see. Maybe like that of Princess Diana and the paparazzi that followed?

A nobody becomes a somebody overnight with sudden appreciation, love and support from people all over the world. Therefore, it is understandable that people want to know about who they are and what makes them as an individual more than just what they do. However, every person has a private life, and they need a personal space. Cameras can be flashing on the celebrities when they are out in the public, but when they are normal people like you and me having a rough day, or wearing pajamas while watching cartoons and eating chips and cookies, or sunbathing in a foreign country, they should not be intervened. 

Fame means you are known and talked about by many people for the notable achievements you have made in life. It does not mean the loss of privacy. Most people who are famous worldwide were not born that way. They worked hard to earn respect and recognition for what they do. So, they should be admired for that. An actor should be talked about for the performance he gave in a recent blockbuster. Gossip about a singer should be about her best albums. The paparazzi should figure out when public figures are in the public versus when they are in their personal space.

Imagine yourself in the shoes of the famous people. Would you like it when people creepily try to figure out what you are doing in your kitchen? How would it feel when you cannot truly be yourself due to the fear of being judged? Would you like it when you were taking a break from your work, and the media followed you to write a news article about what bikini top you are wearing? Would you like it when you have a heartbreak, and the world pours down their sympathy, laughs at you or judges you? Celebrities are just like you and me, and their private lives must be respected.