For many celebrities, the camera lens represents both friend and foe. While a useful resource when plugging a new CD or perfume range, photos can also come back to haunt them Even in the confines of their own homes, the rich and famous are not immune from becoming victims of a graphic invasion into their privacy.
(Clockwise left to right from top left) Jennifer Lawrence, the Duchess of Cambridge, Tulisa Contostavlos and Prince Harry have all suffered graphic invasions into their privacy
Tulisa Contostavlos; In 2012, then-X Factor judge accused an
ex-boyfriend of betraying her by putting a sex tape showing the pair in "an
intimate moment" on the internet. The singer said she had "confronted"
rapper Justin Edwards, who later admitted responsibility. Contostavlos said
of the incident: "I was horrified - it was one of the worst times of my
life."
Lauren Goodger. The Former The Only Way Is Essex personality was
another to find explicit material being passed around on social networking
tool WhatsApp. The 27-year-old, who went on to appear in Celebrity Big
Brother, said she was "angry and upset" after footage of her performing a
sex act was leaked earlier this year. Goodger told The Sun newspaper: "My
private life has been invaded in the most horrible way. I can even see how
some girls would feel suicidal and not be able to cope in this situation."
Prince Harry became the subject of nude images leaked to the press
during a weekend break to Las Vegas when he was pictured partying naked in a
£5,000 night hotel.The Prince later said he had let his family down but he
was not happy about the coverage of the event in the press as he was in a
private area and said "there should have been a certain amount of privacy
that one should expect".
The Duchess of Cambridge found herself at the centre of unwanted
attention when French magazine Closer published shots of her sunbathing
topless on the terrace of a French chateau. Several British outlets refused
to print the pictures..
Rihanna had nude images of her apparently leaked onto the internet in
2009, shortly after her split with fellow singer Chris Brown. He denied
allegations he was responsible. She said at the time that the leak was "the
worst thing that could possibly ever happen (to me)".
Pamela Anderson and musician Tommy Lee are credited with starting the
sex tape phenomenon in 1995. But the film was stolen, and Anderson sued the
video distribution company. The couple later entered into a confidential
settlement agreement with distributors.
Verne Troyer, the Austin Powers actor took immediate legal action when
a sex tape also involving his former girlfriend was posted to a celebrity
website in 2008. He said the tape was never intended to become public, and
was stolen from his home months earlier.
Hotel heiress Paris Hilton, American socialite Kim Kardashian
and former Saved By The Bell actor Dustin Diamond have also had sex
tapes posted online.
Last month, nude images featuring Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence
and model Kate Upton went viral after their iCloud accounts were
hacked.