'Invading privacy with mobile phones, bizarre captions and more'; MLA Fathima Thahiliya against paparazzi

KOZHIKODE: Perambra MLA Fathima Thahiliya issued a warning against paparazzi violating privacy in public places. The MLA stated that if the paparazzi continue with their intrusive work, it will be considered harassment and a violation of privacy, and necessary legal action will be taken. The response came through a Facebook post.

MLA Fathima Thahiliya:

To the paparazzi targeting me and violating my privacy:

“As a public representative, it is part of my responsibility to attend many public events every day. At such events, the organisers officially assign people to take photos and videos.

However, in some cases, it has been noticed that some people, based solely on social media posters and without any identifying marks, intervene and film in the name of “media”. It is often impossible to identify who is assigned by the organisers and who is interfering illegally.

It is a serious violation of privacy to distort personal conversations, natural interactions, and private moments and misleadingly disseminate them.

The trend of sensationalising even simple moments of ordinary life with bizarre captions, creating unnecessary reactions and negativity, and monetising from it is highly condemnable.

I would like to bust the rumours and misconceptions that such channels are part of my PR activities. Even in public places, a person is entitled to their privacy. It must be respected and protected. It is unacceptable to come with a mobile phone and invade someone's private space without following any code of conduct.

This is not just an invasion of my privacy, but also an invasion of the privacy of the people with me. Such actions that violate human privacy and intentionally try to humiliate and provoke are never acceptable. If such practices continue, it will be considered clear stalking and a privacy violation, and necessary legal action will have to be taken.”