Celebrity Privacy: Rihannas Photo Leak

1
Celebrity PrivacyRihannas Photo Leak

• By Ricki Lowe

2
Basic Information Surrounding the Case

• Robyn Rihanna Fenty
• Famous Pop Singer
• CoverGirl Spokesperson
• Chris Brown
• Famous Pop / RB Singer
• Endorsed Wrigley Gum
• Grammy Night 2009

3
The Leaked Photo
TMZ Owner Harvey Levin's Response
4
The Black ListBy ethicist Jay Black

• Step 1
• Is this a Moral Dilemma?
• Ethical to post illegally released documents?
• Anything for revenue?
• Do public figures have private lives?
• Would this happen to a non celebrity?
• Different rules apply to celebrity news?
• Rumors, slander, private images, etc.

5
Step 2 Is it bigger than the rules?

• The First Amendment
• Legal for the press to publish
• Right to Privacy
• Not protected only implied by the U.S.
  Constitution
• Goes against SPJ Code of Ethics
• Minimize Harm?
• Be sensitive using photographs of those
  affected by tragedy
• Show good taste

6
Step 3 Who wins?

• Stakeholder 1 TMZ.com
• Increased publicity
• Stakeholder 2 Public Knowledge
• Increased awareness of domestic assault
• Accurate information of the altercation
• Stakeholder 3 Rihanna
• Increased sympathy and credibility over complaint

7
Step 3 Who loses?

• Stakeholder 1 The Victim
• Loss of privacy
• No one to help her
• Stakeholder 2 The Assailant Chris Brown
• Threatened
• Loss of respect
• Stakeholder 3 LA Police Department
• Loss of public confidence
• Could disrupt trial proceedings

8
Step 4 Whats it worth?

• Equality
• Would they do this to a nobody?
• Privacy
• LAPD full department search
• Brown goes through legal system
• Fired
• Enforce SPJ Code?

9
Step 5 Whos whispering in my ear?

• Joseph Fletcher
• Actions directed by love
• Wouldnt have posted the picture
• Aristotle
• Golden Mean
• Would describe but not post the picture

10
Step 6 How will my decision look in public?

• TMZ.com
• I would not post the picture
• Describe the image
• This could/would result in
• Getting released/fired
• Picture being posted elsewhere
• Loss of money/advertisers

11
Step 6 How will my decision look in public?

• Celebrity news is different
• Post rumors
• Anything to increase website traffic
• YouTube/Facebook/Twitter
• Mixed Reaction
• Applause for standing up against
• Loss of respect from competitors and readers

12
Bibliography

• (2009, 2 22). RealScoop. Retrieved July 29, 2009,
  from Harvey Levin TMZ Rihanna Chris Brown Beating
  Photo Video Interview Web site
  http//www.realscoop.com/content/harvey-levin-tmz-
  rihanna-chris-brown-beating-photo/
• Errico, M. (2008, 2 18). Chris Brown arrested
  after alleged Rihanna Assault. Retrieved July 13,
  2009, from E! Online
• FindLaw U.S. Constitution Ninth Amendment.
  Retrieved July 27, 2009, from FindLaw Web site
  http//caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/am
  endment09/
• MIRANDA, M (2005, 8 24). The next justices.
  Retrieved July 25, 2009, from The Wall Street
  Journal Web site http//www.opinionjournal.com/ne
  xtjustice/?id110007149
• Society of Professional Journalism Code of
  Ethics. http//www.sjp.org/ethicscode.asp. July
  10, 2009.
• Staff, (2008, 2 22). Retrieved July 13, 2009,
  from Rihanna-- The face of a battered woman Web
  site http//www.tmz.com/2009/02/22/rihanna-photo-
  face-beating/
• Staff, (2009, 2 20). jossip.com. Retrieved July
  24, 2009, from Harvey Levin did not steal the
  Rihanna photo (so he says) Web site
  http//www.jossip.com/harvey-levin-did-not-steal-t
  he-rihanna-photo-so-he-says-20090220/
• Warren, S. D., Brandeis, L. D. (1890, 12 18).
  The Right to Privacy. Harvard Law Review, 4,
  Retrieved July 12, 2009,