Intrusion into the Lives of Public Figures Essay

Intrusion into the Lives of Public Figures - Essay Example In general, the world we live in is bound to be filled with observers. Taking a portion of a whole, the United Kingdom has her share of glorious intrusion unto the lives of public figures with unprecedented fame and popularity. The paparazzi are like the earliest of birds, leaking information into the open - something that celebrities disgust and fear the most. To protect their privacy, numerous cases have been filed to the Royal Courts. Basically, these claims are being heard in accord with Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Right. However, these definitions are in somewhat contrary to a disclosure of information about persons with records of sexual misgivings especially pedophiles. In this paper, the following important considerations will be dealt in accordingly. First, privacy rights of celebrities and suspected child sex offenders will be discussed in such detail with reference to some cases. Despite attempts of the UK media to justify intrusion, the consensus of UK judges in the legal protection of certain fundamental values will be at the heart of succeeding discussions. How have UK judges defined the values that strengthen a right to privacy Where do we draw the barrier between 'public' and 'private' parts of a person's life On the other hand, the discussion will continue from the perspective of protecting interests such as public safety or child welfare. Since the public demands for disclosure of information about sexual offenders, is it logical to assume that they forfeit any 'right to privacy' because of previous convictions Privacy is a right that everyone deserves to have. It is by far the absolute result of someone needing enough space and enabling him to enjoy even the simplest of things. American lawyer Judge Cooley in 1888 defined privacy as "the right to be let alone" (29). Another suggestion came from Geoffrey Robertson who in 1993 suggested that the right to privacy is, at its most basic and generic, "the right to be able to live some part of life behind a door marked 'do not disturb'" (104). Let alone, this right has been the subject of many debates regarding whether celebrities have fully enjoyed it or not and as such, given the High Courts notions to think about forcing them to create consensus in defining fundamental values that adhere to a successful, unambiguous protection of the right to privacy. Let it be remembered that Gareth Crossman, et. al. has noted, "In the United Kingdom, privacy's time in the spotlight will continue for the foreseeable future. Continued attention from the courts also appears likely, given the rapid development of case law relating to privacy over the short period since the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) came into force. Media attention continues unabated as the courts continue to grapple with the competing demands of privacy and freedom of expression, and the question of whether there is a distinction between 'the public interest' and 'what interests the public'". Before proceeding, it is imperative to incorporate Articles 8 and 10 of the Convention insofar as they are relevant in understanding decisions of core cases. Article 8 -Right to respect for private and family life entails that everyone has the right to respect for