Confidentiality ...continued
THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF CELEBRITIES
There have been cases where famous people have complained of
the invasion of their privacy where unauthorised photographs have been
published, sometimes of an embarrassing nature. A celebrity once complained
because of a photgraph showing her visit to a drug rehabilition clinic. She
felt that this was a confidential and personal matter.
Some judges rule in favour of the complainant, while others
have turned the plea down because the news was in the public interest (whatever
that may mean). In other words, celebrities usually seek publicity and if
sometimes it turns out against them, too bad!
Investigative journalists often unearth some serious
misdeeds of professional people such as M.Ps, policemen, or even bishops, and
if their behaviour is inconsistent with their public image and work it is
regarded as fair game to expose it. The connection between public service and
private morals presents an ethical dilemma.
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