The former One Direction member’s performance has opened a debate on journalistic ethics, with harsh criticism of the American site known for exceeding privacy limits
The American website TMZ sparked outrage by publishing modified photos of the body of Liam Payne, who died this Wednesday (16/10) after a fall from the 3rd floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires. In one of the images, the body appears on a wooden platform with chairs and tables around it. While some of the more explicit content has been edited out, the photos show identifiable tattoos on the singer’s arm and abdomen.
Reaction on the nets and partial retreat
The decision to publish the photos was immediately condemned by celebrities and fans. Rylan Clark, BBC presenter, vented on the networks: “TMZ, what a shame. You bastards.” Singer Alessia Cara also criticized the site, writing, “You guys are disgusting, TMZ.” Public pressure caused TMZ to remove the photos, keeping only a discreet mention that “TMZ has seen a photo showing Liam’s body.”
Controversial background
TMZ had previously faced criticism in similar cases, such as Kobe Bryant’s fatal crash in 2020, when the site published the story before authorities notified the basketball player’s family. At the time, the website received criticism from Los Angeles authorities, and Bryant’s widow even filed a lawsuit against the sheriff’s department for leaking photos of the crash scene to the press.
However, posting photos of dead bodies was something the site hadn’t done yet. But other vehicles have already exceeded this limit. One of the most notorious cases was that of Kurt Cobain, when the Seattle Times newspaper published a partial photo of the singer’s body after his suicide in 1994, sparking a strong public reaction.
The killer Mamonas
Two years later, in 1996, the newspaper Notícias Populares sparked a huge controversy in Brazil when it published photos of the bodies of members of the band Mamonas Assassinas, victims of a plane crash. The images, which showed the mutilated bodies, led the newspaper to record sales, but generated harsh criticism, including disapproval from Folha de S.Paulo, a company belonging to the same journalistic group, which considered the contents invasive and insensitive.
The case of Princess Diana
In 1997, a sort of informal agreement was established between the press and the public, preventing the circulation of photos of the accident that killed Princess Diana. However, in 2004, the CBS program “48 Hours” broke the secret and showed photos of Diana inside the crashed car, which sparked outrage from the public, Prime Minister Tony Blair and members of the royal family. The program justified the disclosure as part of an investigation into the medical care Diana received.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
