Words With Wong: A Nude Path to Fame
October 8, 2014
Once upon a time, celebrities were able to take a walk in the park without being chased by paparazzi. However, a pique in public interest of celebrity’s personal lives has been a trend throughout the decade, so much so that a celebrity’s trip to McDonald’s makes headlines at major news sites. Yet nothing epitomizes society’s augmented nosiness more than the recent attacks on multiple celebrities who became victims of a massive leak of celebrity nude photos.
Though some of the victims of this scandal are already known for their scandalized lives, such as Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, other shocked victims include Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, and Gabrielle Union. Catalyzed by the growing popularity in social media and a flaw in Apple’s iCloud system, this major leak serves to not only accentuate technology’s pitfalls but also society’s fallbacks.
To think that, in such a technologically centered world, people still believe anything they save on their phone or computer is safe from outsiders is rather pathetic. There will always be a person who will be able to crack any electronic barrier (such as iCloud) to access all files stored on your computer—deleted or not. People should not entrust their extremely private information on a traceable device unless it is a relative necessity.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this scandal is the celebrities’ reactions to the publication of the photos. The more respectable ones concede right away that the photos are real and were stolen from their phones. Meanwhile, other celebrities—particularly the younger ones who serve as role models to young girls such as singer Ariana Grande and Olympian gymnast McKayla Maroney—deny the photos of them are genuine. Many of the victims, such as Gabrielle Union, have even gotten the FBI involved. Whether real or fake, the photos are a flagrant violation of privacy—even if it was entirely preventable.
Nowadays, there appears to be too much emphasis on famous people’s personal lives. We end up knowing more about actors’ and actresses’ personal lives than the list of movies they have been in. We launch talentless reality stars to fame and fortune. Nevertheless, I must deploringly say that I, too, am one of those people. In fact, I am ashamed to say that I can tell you more about Angelina Jolie’s personal life than her movies. Hollywood has become less about skills and arts and more so about Twitter followers and botox.
If people were not so interested in celebrities’ personal lives, celebrity hacking scandals may not be so prevalent (and Kim Kardashian would not be the highest-paid reality television personality). The social media frenzy that ensued from this scandal merely added fuel to the fire. Celebrity nude photos continue to persist for the sole purpose of stirring up the public.
When you are a high-profile person, leaving a digital trail to a picture of your goods might not be the brightest idea. People, not just celebrities, should learn to be more perceptive of their actions and skeptical about the safety of technology. Moral of the story is that some things are better left in the bedroom.
