New California Anti-Paparazzi Law

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a new anti-paparazzi law this Friday. The law AB-381 amends the existing anti-paparazzi law. It was introduced by Assemblywoman Cindy Montenez. The new amendment deals with an "assault committed with the intent ot capture any type of visual image, sound recording, or other physical impression of the plaintiff."

The law was amended to try to deter the Paparazzi from the potentially deadly habit of chasing celebrities at high speed around the Los Angeles area. There have been numerous incidents in the last few month concerning car chases and minor fender benders with some of the more popular celebrities and the Paparazzi.

This amendment will allow celebrities to win triple damages in case of a lawsuit and it will prevent the Paparazzi and their agencies from profiting from any of the photographs involved in the altercation.

Will this really affect the way Paparazzi chase their prey. Probably not. A number of the photographers are illegal residents in the US. They think that at worst they will get a hand slap by the authorities and then be deported back to their own countries. According to one European photographer, " It’s No Big Deal."

This blog has always commented that the chasing in Los Angeles is very dangerous and wrong. But, it seems to be a way of life in LA. If a Paparazzi photographer wants to get photos of the celebrity in LA he must chase, because the celebrities all run. And, since LA is so competitive with too many photographers, many will be willing to take the risk to make money.

The owners of the hard core Paparazzi agencies seem to feel that if they don't say anything to their photographers, because most are freelance, and if there ever was a problem the agencies will be blameless. But, as a photographer if you don't bring back the photograph and another agency photographer does, you will not get any money. And, there is a chance that if you constantly miss the photo, you will be without an agency. So, there is incentive to get the photographs of the celebrities at any cost for most of the Paparazzi photographers.

Many believe that the only way to solve the Paparazzi problem in LA is going to be a serious accident involving a celebrity, a Paparazzi or an innocent citizen who will be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is sad that nothing can be really done before some one will get hurt. It is too bad that the Paparazzi photographers and their agencies can’t self-police themselves. But, there is too much competition and too much money involved for them to stop now.