ABSTRACT
The right of privacy is a relatively new area of American law, and this chapter focuses on four types of privacy claims that affect the mass media. One is the publication of private facts. A second is intrusion, which is a physical or technological invasion of a person’s privacy. A third is false light, which is the public portrayal of someone in a distorted or fictionalized way. And the fourth is appropriation, which is the unauthorized commercial exploitation of someone’s identity. A related issue, also discussed, is the media’s rare infliction of emotional distress on a person through newsgathering or reporting activities.
