Many of us have our favorite list of stars – be it singers, comedians, actors and actresses, athletes, or virtually any person of influence that we enjoy watching. However, the media (typically paparazzi) sometimes forget that stars also need their space. Whether it is an Instagram post, news channels, or Snaps, people can find about the locations of celebrities through reports of real-time celebrity sightings. Because of this, activities as simple as taking a morning walk, riding a bike, going to the grocery store, or working out at the gym can turn into a dangerous situation for celebrities. Multiple stars have come out and expressed their displeasure for the paparazzi following them while being involved in just doing a general activity, as well as peoples’ (specifically paparazzi’s) disregard for their privacy as well. 

Am I saying that you should not take photos of a celebrity you consider your life-long favorite person? No, I think those meetups with stars are adorable, fun to watch, and a great way for celebrities to connect with their fans. However, it is crucial that we as viewers should remember to be mindful and courteous to celebrities to respect their privacy, and doing so starts with refraining from posting a celebrity’s location right away until they have left that area.

A notable recent example of this happened in New Jersey in mid August, when singer Taylor Swift attended close friend Jack Antonoff’s wedding. Swift was making her way to a restaurant for the rehearsal dinner, when news broke out about her location. 

An article by The Los Angeles Times details screaming fans chanting Swift’s name while the paparazzi snapped photos of what was supposed to be a private occasion. Police were also positioned to close off parts of that street on Long Beach Island (the location of the restaurant). 

This pattern repeated twice more at Antonoff’s ceremony and reception, where hundreds of people gathered once more, leading many to realize and acknowledge the dangers or discomfort this could pose for not only Taylor Swift, but the bride and groom as well. 

For not only Swift but celebrities who have been in identical situations, this can take away from the magic special days like these are supposed to have because guests or hosts may be taken aback or distracted by the possible uncontrollable screaming occurring nearby.

Some may consider this as just something that comes along with the fame of being well-known, but the celebrities themselves can feel upset, overwhelmed, and somewhat with no privacy. Of course, most celebrities are absolutely elated to start conversations with their fans, but celebrities also have some boundaries that they most likely do not appreciate people disregarding.

An example of this is with Selena Gomez when she attended the 2015 Paris Fashion Week show. Because people knew exactly where she was, she was surrounded by countless paparazzi and fans, and Gomez appears to be severely overwhelmed by the action happening around her. 

Instead, social media companies should put policies in place that do not let users post a celebrity’s locations until they have left that specific area, with the exception of scheduled events of course, like tours and meet and greets. Social media operators should politely ask users to refrain from posting a photo, image, or video until a later date or time. By respecting celebrity privacy by not posting their locations as they are at a place, we are ensuring that they, too, are able to enjoy special moments that may mean a lot to them, like birthday parties or sightseeing. Moderation by social media companies is essential because, upon meeting a celebrity, a fan may not realize that posting a certain photo, video, or reel could lead to hundreds of people following a celebrity, be it fans waiting outside of a venue, paparazzi snapping photos of celebrities dining out, or yelling outside of a certain area. 

This eagerness or disbelief many may feel upon meeting celebrities may lead to people forgetting that celebrities themselves are human too, which is why moderators ensure posts are not in real-time. Because we as social media consumers see celebrities mostly only in their happy times and when they wish to communicate with the public, some of us may assume that they always want that and fail to respect their privacy.

Photo courtesy of WIKIMEDIA COMMONS