Should celebrities have greater protection from the media?

Charmain Li, 17, Sha Tin College

Aspiring celebrities choose their career knowing full well they will be in the media spotlight. In their quest for fame, they often visit public places where they know they will be recognised. Usually their presence will spark some controversy, generating media attention.

Many celebrities use the media to promote their careers. Their success is often tied up with their ability to stay in the public eye and promote various products on the market. Therefore, I believe celebrities have no right to complain when the paparazzi follow them. They cannot crave media attention and have total privacy both at the same time.

Besides, how do we decide whether a celebrity is 'big' enough to be entitled to special legal protection not available to ordinary people?

Without the media, we would create a haven for so-called icons to deceive the public by presenting a false image of themselves. It is only fair that the media reveals both the positive and negative stories regarding celebrities. In fact, the media has a duty to reveal the truth about celebrities whose real life is often very different from what they portray.

Many celebrities are also role models for young people, who have every right to know if their idols indeed measure up to the image they project of themselves.

Of course, limits have to be set. The media should not be allowed to invade an individual's private property and disrupt their life. As long as the media follow the rules, celebrities should have no more protection from the media than the average person.