Fox 5 evening news just aired a segment about Gawker Stalker, a part of Gawker, where celebrity sightings are posted. But these posts aren’t like the ones you read in People magazine a week or two after they’ve occurred -- they’re posted as soon as the person who spotted the celebrity can get to a computer. And that’s got some people worried.
With descriptions not only including the celebrities’ whereabouts as specific as “480 Park Avenue” (today’s sighting of Nicole Richie), but also descriptions of what they’re wearing (ex.: Naomi Campbell “wearing a Native-American style pullover/shawl and yoga pants and sunglasses”), the usual “invasion of privacy” issue comes up, along with the argument that their safety is being compromised.
I have to agree with those who defended Gawker Stalker (including Jessica Coen) on the grounds that celebrities have chosen to be in the public eye and therefore must live with the consequences; consequences which, in this case, mean little or no privacy. I mean, honestly, aren’t they used to the paparazzi already? What’s the big deal?
In addition, as for the “safety issue,” I think that if someone truly wants to harm another person, they probably aren’t going to sit at their computer and wait for a minutes-, if not hours- old post on that specific person’s whereabouts, but rather will stalk them on their own.
Anonymous (not verified) @ Wed, 03/22/2006 - 3:32pm
Page Six says that people are emailing to Gawker Stalker phony tips of celebrity sightings, like Kate Hudson and Tim Robbins. And Gawker runs them all without checking any of them out. So some of these so-called sightings are pure fiction. Lindsay Lohan can breathe easy.