POLITICS
What are the laws against paparazzi? Is it legal in the US?
The recent paparazzi chase of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has reminded observers of the fatal crash which killed his mother, Princess Diana.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, better known as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and the duchess’s mother were involved in a “near catastrophic” car chase on Tuesday night after being followed by paparazzi in New York, the duke’s spokesperson has said.
They said there were near collisions with other cars.
In a statement, the New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed an incident took place and said that numerous photographers “made their [Harry and Meghan’s] transport challenging”.
Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was killed in 1997 in a Paris car crash while being chased by photographers.
Paparazzi are known for their persistent and intrusive methods of obtaining photographs. This has been known to involve following subjects, staking out locations, and using long lenses or hidden cameras to capture images without the subject’s consent or knowledge. Their aim is to capture attention-grabbing content that may generate interest or demand in the media.
What are the laws against paparazzi?
As the paparazzi are not one organisation, there are not specific laws to ban them. However, protections for both paparazzis and their targets are covered in other legislation.
Freedom of speech is protected under the first amendment in the United States. This protects the freedom of the press, including the right to gather news and take photographs in public places. However, this right is not absolute and must be balanced with other considerations such as public safety, which if reports are to be believed was widely ignored on 16 May.
Each state has its own laws which govern individual privacy. In New York, for the sake of the Harry and Meghan’s example, harassment laws exist to prevent an event like a car chase for photos.
There are also laws to protect their privacy when in private but this wouldn’t cover the public sphere. Being at an awards night means there is an expectation of photos being taken, at least while at the event. This would of course not contravene any statutes in place.