Hilary Duff confronted a paparazzi who was taking pictures of her kids without consent this weekend. It's clear she is one fierce mama. There is no question about that after she posted a video of what took place on Saturday morning. Hilary spotted a man snapping pictures of a group of kids, presumably including Hilary's, playing football. He didn't seem to know anyone, and Hilary seemed certain he was a paparazzi.
Hilary fearlessly walked up to him while filming the interaction and politely asked the man if he knew any of the kids he was taking pictures of. Of course, he said he did not, and she asked him if he could stop taking pictures of the children since he didn't know any of them.
Instead of admitting that what he was doing was wrong and, quite frankly, creepy, the man protested. “It’s legal,” he responded in a pretty uncaring manner. But the legality of it wasn't what was making Hilary and the other parents uncomfortable. No one knew where those pictures would end up, and since he didn't know anyone there, it was likely pretty frightening. Still, the man didn't back down, and the situation got a little uncomfortable.
The man kept repeating himself saying that what he was doing was perfectly legal. While that may be true, in Hilary's book that didn't make it right. “It’s making me feel really uncomfortable,” she responded. But the man pressed her, saying that there was no reason for her to feel uncomfortable with what he was doing.
“Well, you shouldn’t feel uncomfortable,” he says. “You want me to show you ID?” Hilary wasn't interested in his ID. Knowing his name wouldn't make it any better that he was taking pictures of children he didn't know. They could end up in tabloids or all over the internet. She had every right to be concerned and to express herself.
Hilary didn't back down. It was clear she was taking such a firm stance because she felt like her kids were being violated. After asking him repeatedly to please stop what he was doing, Hilary scolded him. She pushed him to please respond on a human level.
“I’m asking you to stop taking pictures of our 7-year-old children if you don’t know anyone that’s here. I’m asking you human to human, as a mother, if you don’t know anyone here, can you please stop taking pictures of our children playing football this morning?” she continued. Still, the man refused to comply.
Here comes the awesome part of the video. Hilary let loose, saying she would simply post the video to her page with 15 million followers on Instagram "and let people know how creepy it is that this is what you’re choosing to do on your Saturday morning.” You could tell she really didn't want to go there. She was hoping he'd be a little more receptive; however, that's not how it went down.
At that point, the man became visibly upset. Doesn't feel so good when the shoe is on the other foot, does it, bud? He shoves his hand over her phone to cover it up and seems agitated. He probably hoped Hilary was bluffing and wouldn't actually post the video, but she certainly did and gave him a taste of his own medicine.
"Paparazzi shooting KIDS," she wrote next to the entire video that she shared on her Instagram page shortly after the event took place. "Go 'practice' your photography on ADULTS! Creep! Laws need to change! This is stalking minors! Disgusting!"
Sadly, this is not the first time Hilary has had to call out paparazzi for taking pictures of her children. She posted another photo of a man last year who was stalking her son's soccer game and following her to take photos. It happened when Hilary was nine months pregnant, no less!
It's pretty hard to disagree that what the man was doing was wrong, plain and simple. While he may not have been breaking any laws, taking pictures of other people's kids without their consent is seriously crossing a line. Of course, it should be illegal, and the laws do need to change.
Celebrities, just like everyone else, deserve to be able to protect their kids. They can share as much or as little of their own kids on their own outlets as they want. But it's not up to anyone else to decide that. It's a huge invasion of privacy.
Right now, it doesn't seem like that is happening. If kids of famous people can't play in a park without their parents having to worry that their pictures will end up all over the internet, or who even knows where, that's a serious problem. Good on Hilary for calling this man out and the even bigger problem of paparazzi getting away with this kind of thing on the regular.
Hopefully, paparazzi will take note and learn from this event and be respectful of parents' wishes. It's hard to imagine that this man in particular won't learn his lesson after his face is now all over the internet. But it should be a reminder to anyone that it is possible to do your job while also being polite. Paparazzi should have to ask permission, and if a parent says "no," then simply move on.
If anything, Hilary did a fantastic job of standing up for her kids, and she should feel like one proud mama bear.
