Gigi Hadid appears to be facing legal trouble after posting a since-deleted paparazzi shot of herself on Instagram without crediting the photographer.
The model, 23, called out a photographer who is suing her in a lengthy Instagram rant that addressed the fact that she (and other celebrities) feel like their privacy is invaded by aggressive paparazzi whenever they leave the house.
“Yesterday I heard from my management that I am being ‘legally pursued’ for my last (now deleted) Instagram post. The photo is by a Paparazzi & is of me on the street outside an event last week. I posed/smiled for the photo because I understand that this is part of my job, this was an appropriate situation for ‘the press’ to attend, and also that this is how paparazzi make a living,” Hadid wrote.
View this post on Instagram
![💬]()
A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on Oct 18, 2018 at 4:56pm PDT
//www.instagram.com/embed.js
“Most circumstances are not this way, i.e. leaving my apartment, or anytime I feel that my privacy is being unreasonably intruded upon, doing everyday things feel harder to face… these people make money off of us everyday, LEGALLY stalking us day in and day out- for nothing special- for us to walk six feet to a car and six feet into a work building. They drive dangerously close and extremely recklessly; they put the general public in danger in pursuit of a photo,” the supermodel continued.
Looking for more style content? Click here to subscribe to the PeopleStyle Newsletter for amazing shopping discounts, can’t-live-without beauty products and more.
Hadid also noted that she and many friends have gotten into car accidents as a result of reckless photographers, and have dealt with the emotional toll of constantly being followed.
“I (& countless others) have stayed inside because I just don’t want my photo taken or to have that attention/suffocation while just trying to live as normally as possible, and for someone to take a situation where I was trying to be open, and sue me for a photo I FOUND ON TWITTER (with no photographer’s name on the image), for a photo he has already been paid for my whatever outlet put it online (!!!), is absurd,” she explained.
“To the paparazzi, I understand that this is how you make your living, and I respect that this is something I must accept with my job. But there is a line,” Hadid added. “We are human beings, and sometimes it takes a lot of courage to engage with you because of the resentment I feel for the negative parts of these experiences.”
RELATED PHOTOS: All About Gigi Hadid’s Most Eye-Catching Makeup Moments, Ever
Shortly after sharing her post, Hadid received an overwhelming amount of support from her fellow stars and her family in the comments, many of whom say they have experienced similar situations.
Kylie Jenner, 21, who is regularly followed by paparazzi, wrote, “
. we’re ‘public figures’ and it’s legal for them to invade our privacy. it’s pretty disappointing
we gotta change this.”
View this post on Instagram
![👏🏻]()
![👏🏻]()
#CommentsByCelebs
A post shared by @ commentsbycelebs on Oct 18, 2018 at 6:22pm PDT
//www.instagram.com/embed.js
Hadid’s younger sister Bella Hadid also commented: “Well said sister ! Thank you.” Ruby Rose added, “So much yes. It’s a double standard I’ve never understood.”
Khloé Kardashian shared her own experience getting sued by paparazzi agencies for copyright infringement. “Perfectly said!!! I was sued for HUNDREDS of thousands for posting a picture of myself
I don’t understand how it’s right that they literally stalk us and taunt us AND they are allowed to sue us for posting OUR OWN PHOTO,” the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star said.
Canadian model Coco Rocha also commented on this issue, which Hadid shared on her own Instagram Story.
“Love you @GigiHadid. In my opinion, any time someone takes your photo – without your written consent or any binding legal agreement- the default should be that you and the photographer have now ‘collaborated’ and you have as much right to own and use that image and dictate its use as the person taking it (if not more),” Rocha said. “Your image is your brand, it’s the entire DNA of your business. You spend years developing this image, they spent 2 seconds clicking a button. The current status quo makes no sense.”
Despite celebrities’ efforts to limit paparazzi from taking take their photograph, it’s a question of the constitutional right to freedom of speech.
In the United States, photographs that are taken for editorial use in a public place generally enjoy constitutional protection under the First Amendment. So in a public space, a celebrity can have no expectation of privacy. There are some exceptions, though: police crime scenes, public restrooms and secured areas (like government facilities) are not granted protection under the First Amendment.
Other countries, have created laws protecting stars. For example, England created several after Princess Diana famously passed away in 1997 due to a fatal car crash as a result of a reckless paparazzi chase.