Was It Right To Post Rihanna Abuse Picture Online?
Gawker did this very interesting discussion about the Rihanna abuse photo that leaked on TMZ. With the much-hyped situation finally presented with a face, was it right for the online community to share such an image with the world? Or did it do it’s justice as journalist to bring light to a dark predicament?
Check out the article and judge for yourself:
The pictures of Rihanna’s injured face are disturbing. It’s not just our commenters debating whether they should have been published Thursday, or readers broadly; editors throughout the celebrity-industrial complex disagreed, too.
First, a quick rundown of who did and did not publish pictures of the R&B singer after she was reportedly struck by boyfriend Chris Brown during a side-of-the-road fight before the Grammys. (TMZ first ran the pictures Thursday night. They quickly spread.)
Ran the picture:
- New York Daily News (with picture on homepage
- New York Post (with picture on homepage)
- Newsday (with picture on homepage)
- Us Weekly (with picture on homepage)
- Huffington Post (ran picture on homepage with link to TMZ)
- Gawker (with picture on homepage)
- Star (alternate picture on homepage)
- TMZ (obviously, since they were the ones who obtained and first published it)
- Perez Hilton (with picture on homepage)
Did not run the picture, but reported it:
- People , which did a full story about the picture but did not even link it.
- E! also did not link the picture when it ran a story about the photo and how Los Angeles police are investigating how it was leaked.
- The LA Times wrote about the same investigation, with a link to the photo on TMZ.
- Drudge Report linked the TMZ photo prominently.
(Larger news sites like CNN, MSNBC and New York Times did not cover the picture by end of day Thursday.)
Critics say running the picture humiliates Rihanna at a time when she’s already in emotional agony, that it pierces a zone of emotional and physical privacy already grossly violated in the apparent attack on her. Victims of domestic abuse and rape have long been accorded special rights in the criminal justice system; it is argued they should retain a similar degree of control if and when information escapes that system. Finally, it is lost on no one that sensational pictures like the Rihanna shot can bring profit-making publishers large amounts of traffic, opening publishers to charges of exploitation.
So why would anyone run the picture, as we and others did? The Rihanna story has always been about an unfortunately common crime involving two famous people and a high-profile event. This has given rise to a full spectrum of speculation about the case. Though unsettling, the evidence of Rihanna’s injuries settles at least some of that guessing game.
One result of this: underlining the seriousness of an attack that many people have sought to minimize.
What do YOU think? Speak on it in the comments section. To read Rihanna’s statement on the situation, please click here!
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Comments (45)
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m_me_mel_meli_melis2-28-2009 6:56 pm
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BeanCity4192-27-2009 3:01 am
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sweet_hospitality2-26-2009 11:19 pm
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evrymansdream252-26-2009 12:56 pm
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maryt22-25-2009 8:28 am
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livinforchrist082-23-2009 6:18 pm
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intllgntblkbeauty2-23-2009 6:07 pm
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intllgntblkbeauty2-23-2009 6:05 pm
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corporate_thug_chi2-23-2009 5:58 pm
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jennepooh32-23-2009 5:51 pm
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bikerchic6502-23-2009 5:49 pm
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CTsBestChick2-23-2009 5:45 pm
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APreston_012-23-2009 5:39 pm
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bobbiperk2-23-2009 5:26 pm
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KAPOBSP2-23-2009 4:51 pm
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PurrfeckAngel2-23-2009 4:45 pm
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SIXfootTWOinches2-23-2009 4:42 pm
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Diamond66302-23-2009 4:00 pm
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miss_nea_nea2-23-2009 3:47 pm
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COCOBABYK2-23-2009 3:33 pm
« Previous 1 2I think it was right. If you can use that photo to educate people what they need to do in those situations, use it. Besides the fact we eat it up, and if we didn’t they wouldn’t have the idea to put out there in the media anyways. Use it for a positive purpose. Knowledge is power. Besides they made a movie bout Ike and Tina….. this was just a picture.
Look I’ve read a lot of stories about this incident and I really think that because it’s two people whom happen to be famous, everyone is looking at it differently. No it was not right for the pictures to be posted, I do believe that was a private matter for her and it should have been taken care of in that manner. The only thing I see wrong with the situation is everyone getting involved with it. If two people had a fight (I say two people because nobody knows what happened) then you let them handle that. All this jumping on the domestic band wagon is a little too premature I think. If he did wrong let him live and deal with that. Though what is she has done wrong, is it justified ?. You never hear people say anything but he’s wrong, when nobody knows what happened she hasn’t even said what happened. Then I saw Whitney Houston tell her don’t make the same mistake she did. You never know maybe someone needs to be telling Chris don’t make the same mistake and go back with her. Boy am I waiting on the responses from this one.
Although, I myself wondered how her face looked after Chris went Ike Turner on Rihanna. My interest was only sparked because she’s a celebrity and he’s a celebrity, had she had been any other Jane Doe, I wouldn’t have cared about her face. I would have been like, “Dang, thats messed up what happen to ol’ girl. I hope she leave his sorry behind and put him in jail!” I said all that to say this, we should show them the same respect that we show someone who isn’t making music and making thousands of dollars. They’re normal people, and its wrong to exploit normal people so we shouldn’t exploit them. Leave them alone and let the law do there job. Let them seek counseling and STOP TALKING ABOUT IT ALREADY!!! I’m getting tired of these articles quite frankly!!!
Exploit the victim????? Regardless if this is a circus to the rest of the public or not. This is about real life events for real people. This is not a movie that these two are in…its their lives. Where does the respect, love, and compassion for that come into play.
Posting this picture shows us just how far the dirty mag rags are willing to go for a little boost in readership.
May God help them all!
No it was not right to post that picture of her, but if the world and Rihanna don’t see an ongoing problem Chris Brown will never get help and do we know for a fact that it actually happen. Rihanna if it did get out while you are young because the old saying is if he did it once he will do it again and that is a fact. Please for GOD sakes don’t believe him when he says he loves you cause if he really did he would not have hit you. Ask yourself this question Do he love his mother? if the answer is yes did he hit her or will he hit her. Treat me like you treat your mother. Baby you still young and pretty love yourself first.
The picture of Rhianna’s face is quite shocking. This is something that has been going on for years, but it don’t make it alright for it to happen. No, we are not to sweep this kind of violence under the rug. Nor, are we to keep dwelling on it. I am pretty sure that everytime Rhianna looks in the mirror, she was feeling bad. Now, she feels even worse that the world has seen what her face. I was in a domestic violence situation where I was slapped I wore glasses to hid the bruses. I am also sure that Chris Brown is feeling just as bad as she is for doing it. I don’t feel that the picture should have been released at no price. Money is the reason why most people do what they do. The picture just made people more angry at Chris Brown. This situation involves two young entertainers, Rhianna and Chris Brown, who were in a domestic violence situation. We, the public or the press don’t really know what happened the evening this occurred. My prayer is that the both of them will get counseling and be able to live through this. The embrassment and shame will always affect the two of them. My heart goes out to both of them and their family during this time.
I think it definitely showed the brutality of the incident and makes all those Chris brown supporters step back and put there feet in her shoes DOMESTIC VIOLENCE is never tolerated. the man beat the s**t out of her and needs to seek help as well as receive harsh punishment for his action. hopefully he can learn from this and speak to other men because it is estimated that 2-4million women in America are victims of Domestic violence each year. Somebody needs to break the silence and this will break up the taboo. THIS IS SERIOUS
I think it definitly showed the brutality of the incident and makes all those hris brown supporters step back and put there feet in her shoes DOMESTIC VIOLECE is never tolerated. the man beat the s**t out of her and needs to seek help as well as recieve harsh punishment for his action. hopefully he can learn from this and speak to other men because it is estimated that 2-4million women in america are victims of Domestic violence each year. Somebody needs to break the silence and this will break up the taboo. THIS IS SERIOUS
No. it was wrong for anyone to plaster her picture anywhere. for the rest of her career she will be remembered from that one bad face day. all of the other days she looked glamorous and beautiful are history. thats f**ked up. all i know is im tired of hearing about this s**t, therefore i complain every chance i get. i wish another star would do some outrageous s**t so we can find something else to discuss.
I don’t think it was right. My children love both Chris Brown and Rhianna and when my daughter found out what happened and that Chris Brown did it, she was devistated….
i think that she probably wouldnt have wanted the photo posted only bc she has been out of the public’s eye since this has happened.
HOWEVER, i hope she flips this into a good thing/ uses this incident to speak out to people that are going through the same thing.
WELL HONESTLY WHAT I THINK IS THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION BUT THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN EVERYDAY N U DONT C IT MAKIN THE NEWS THEIR JUST MAKING IT A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THEIR FAMOUS THEY JUST NEED TO LEAVE THE BOTH OF THEM ALONE N ABOUT THE PIC I DONT BELIEVE THAT IT’S REAL BECAUSE IT IS A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION N THEY CANT PUT THE PIC OUT LIKE THAT WITHOUT HER AGREEING
She called the police so she made it a public issue! As said before being a star you sometimes loose lots of your privacy! No telling how much someone was paid for the pic! As far as murder you guys are taking it tooooo far! But did you see how she was acting in the clip they showed while he was practing! You see the seriousness in her face…… Guess that was overlooked! There is a lot more important things to put in the news other than this! What about all the battered CHILDREN! That are constantly being put back into these foster families only to be killed, starved, etc………..
I, for one, am very pleased that this photo was released. Now the incident won’t be swept away. Young women will realize that being famous doesn’t insulate you from abuse, no more than it did Tina Turner. Mrs. Turner was able to hide her bruises and perform. Can you imagine how different things would’ve been if the media was back then as it is now?
And no Ms. Nea Nea if the pics were of CB it wouldn’t make a difference. There are just as many battered men as women whose stories are now coming out.
Will it shame either of them to not allow this to ever happen again? CBs’ explanation of “being saddened and seeking counseling thru his family and pastor” just doesn’t work now that the photo has been released.
No one can rerally answer that question right now, but it dam sure won’t be minimized.
I sincerely hope that the States Attorney adds more charges. Next time we could be looking at a murder-suicide.
who cares about it being leaked out cause if it was a NFL player or a NBA player that had hit they wife and abused her the picture would had been out already and she still is talking to the dude anyway so it really doesnt matter who cares if she is a star
With respect to the fact that domestic abuse is a serious and private matter, I do not think that it was right for the picture to be leaked. I feel for both Rihanna and Chris Brown, but I fail to realize how her being a celebrity makes her domestic abuse situaiton any more important than the average woman’s. I am also highly opposed to re-subjecting her to the humiliation. It’s bad enough that Chris Brown “ALLEDGEDLY” hit her, but the picture’s continuing circulation is only prolonging her healing process.
When you are a star…you kind of lose that right to privacy. Thats just how the world is. I think the pic had to be shown because this highlights a huge problem…not with just Rihanna but with a lot of young ladies out there. There is no telling how many times he beat her up. Things happen for reason and I believe it may have saved her life. If he says he has to seel help for it….he was doing some stuff we don’t even know about. This upsets me because they were such a idolized couple. Damn!
That was a private event that should have remained that way. I’m sure someone made a few bucks off of it and you know what they say about the LAPD. She shouldnt let that bull keep her down and if she can pull it together and come right back out it will be much better for her. F*ck what everybody else talkin bout.
i dont even think that is her you can do anything with photoshop. people need to quit taking sides. nobody knows the full story. so everybody should be cool. would anybody feel sorry if the tables were turned and it was chris brown that was all beat up. no people would be like he probably did something to deserve that ass whoopin.
I DONT THINK ITS RIGHT BUT I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO SEE HOW BAD HIS DUMB ASS DID HER HE HAD TIME TO STOP HITTING HER BEFORE IT GOT BAD HOW SHE LOOKS HE HAD TO HIT HER MORE THAN ONCE ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS GET OUT THE CAR FORGET ABOUT HIS FEELINGS