Power or Fear?

There are so many stories lately about celebrities suing sites and blogs because they don't like what they read or the videos that are posted. The latest is the Dane couple or McSteamy - as the husband is known.

Now I realize that everyone deserves their privacy but don't you think that part of the privilige of privacy comes the responsibility not to do something stupid that could jeopardize it? I mean really, who filmed their private session? Not a pap from outside a window - no, they did.

And I have to ask - how did the blog they are suing get the video? Was it stolen from them? Did a worker take it? Really, how did it become public? Perhaps it was someone they knew who took it and had it posted. I mean really, who else had access to it? That part seems a bit foggy to me - I haven't kept that close a watch on this - but that's the first question I would ask if I was unfortunate enough to get stuck on a jury for this.

Look in all of my 50+ years of living I have managed to have personal and romantic relationships with the opposite sex that did not include our taking video of it.

You want your life to be private? THEN DON'T FILM IT! Especially if you're a celebrity cause you don't really know who your true friends are or who are just going to try to use you to further their own careers.

You like to film your sexual/bathtub/bedroom exploits? Well then, perhaps a famous movie line makes sense here - "Stupid is as stupid does."

And where does this leave bloggers who have followers who comment on their blogs? Especially celebrity related blogs?

Well it leaves them in a situation where they either let it all go - Perez Hilton's blog comes to mind - some of the most disgusting commentary shows up on that blog's comments pages which are not moderated.

Or you have bloggers who choose fear over free speech; fear of getting sued which then makes them into what seems like power gods - moderating the comments of others to the point that it's not even a discussion - just disjointed bits and pieces of thoughts.

Is it done out of fear or is it down for a sense of power and to control others?

The individual bloggers are the only ones who know for sure and only they can determine if it worth it to continue.

One thing is certain - once a blog becomes a pain - unless I'm making my primary living from it - it's gone. And one thing is also clear - I doubt I'd want to make a living from blogging - it would take away the fun - at least for me.