Paparazzi

This passage discusses the intrusive and sometimes dangerous actions of the paparazzi.

Lexile Level: 1480L

Categories: People & Places

It's hard to believe that the law might protect someone who hunts people for a living. However, members of the paparazzi are photographers who go to great lengths to track down celebrities, and while the paparazzi usually do not cause physical harm to their targets, many are more than willing to disrupt the private lives of celebrities in order to get the pictures that they sell to tabloids for hundreds or thousands of dollars. Many work like detectives to hunt down their targets, creating webs of informers who trade information about the whereabouts of stars in exchange for money. Under United States law, most citizens have a right to privacy. However, the law also excludes "public figures" from protection under privacy laws, making them fair game for the intrusive practices of the paparazzi. However, when paparazzi use extreme measures, such as pulling a fire alarm in order to force a celebrity out of a building and into the street where he or she can be easily photographed, they cross a legal line and can be arrested.