Paraphrased from 1997 Paparazzi Caused Death of Diana email: The Paparazzi are outlaws everywhere.

The State (local, state, federal or national government) does not have the legal right to spy on people/celebrities, follow them around and harass them.  From where does the paparazzi obtain the legal right to spy on celebrities, follow them around and harass them?  From where does the press obtain the legal right to spy (or contract paparazzi to spy) on people, follow them around and harass them?  Note:  This harassing includes provoking celebrities, by cursing at them or their children, to produce "angry photos".

How is it that tabloid/news readers/viewers have more legal rights to violate the privacy of people than The State?  I submit that they do not have such rights.  The "I'm just doing my job" statements from the paparazzi should provide no legal rights to spy on, follow and harass celebrities.  If it is illegal for The State, it should be illegal for everyone.  Who is paying thousands of dollars for paparazzi photographs thereby causing these paparazzi frenzies? 

Tabloid/news media is responsible for the paparazzo's illegal activities of spying on, following and harassing celebrities.  Why are they allowed to publish "unauthorized" pictures or pictures obtained by illegally spying, following and thereby harassing celebrities?  Is it that our "freedom of the press rights" cause the violation of "celebrity privacy rights"?  And the tabloid/news media is profiting from the illegal activities of the paparazzi.  It's like a mini-mafia where big bucks are made at the top by hiring "goons" to carry out illegal activities "on the ground". 

The World appears to agree that the paparazzi has rights to spy on, follow and harass celebrities far above the rights of The State.  If this is true, then The World is wrong and I'm not the only one saying so (click ref 1 or ref 2).  As privacy trumps the right of The State to spy, follow and harass, so should privacy trump Big Business' right to pander to the "nosiness" of the masses.  Those "nosey" masses should not have the right, directly or contracted, to spy on, follow and thereby harass celebrities.  And the panderers should not be permitted to make money by violating, directly or contracted, the privacy rights of anyone to be free of spying, following and harassing.

Outlaw the paparazzi.  Fine the media for publishing "unauthorized" photos obtained by the paparazzi.  That "celebrities are news" should not revoke their rights to privacy.  Especially, when the revoking is done by a money making enterprise and not The State.  These international money making enterprises should not be immune to prosecution for buying and profiting from the products of felony activities; thereby encouraging the illegal activities of the paparazzi, which are on the increase world wide.  Note:  We are not outlawing the legitimate photo-shoot.  We are trying to stop these free lance "feeding frenzies" of illegal activity (spying, following and harassing), that has killed and injured celebrities.

I hope the paparazzi will go the way of the gladiator.  In the near future, I hope we will be able to look back at the barbaric thing of the past that was once called the paparazzi and marvel at the damage they caused while making millions for media owners.