Media Invasion of the Private Lives of Celebrities - Research Paper Example

It means his right to withdraw or to participate as he sees fit. It also means the individual’s right to control the dissemination of information about himself; it is his own personal possession.” 2 The concept of privacy is more of a modern concept and is the product of a progressively individualistic society which now highlights the individual more than the society. Where on one hand, society has started valuing aspects of human nature and is keen on protecting privacy of the individual; on the other hand it also encourages aspects of human personality which as essential to its enhancement and are seen as extensions of the same – like freedom of speech and expression, among other core aspects.

3 In fact, if carefully understood it can be seen that the right to freedom of speech and expression and the right to privacy are two sides of the same coin. An individual’s right to know and be informed may infringe another’s right to be left alone. As much as it is true that freedom of speech and expression is essential for the diffusion of information on matters concerning public interest, it is equally important to protect the private life of an individual so far as it is unrelated to public duties of matters of public interest.

The law of privacy attempts to find a common ground between these opposing freedoms.4These days, however, with the advancement of technology and telecommunications, and the electronic media taking over the global world; it has become near to impossible to have an exclusively private life and be completely free from the eyes of the public. It no more takes the tag of a ‘status symbol’ to be in the public glare. Be it anything commendable or controversial, the public is out to gouge out necessary information about the individual’s personal life, thereby invading his privacy.