FILM and pop stars are furious over a new website that can publish details of celebrity sightings within minutes - with a map showing where the star was spotted.

 

Popular gossip site Gawker.com's "stalker map" uses the Google map service to plot the location of the famous face as soon as possible after the tip comes in.

Some readers even send in details of their sighting straight away by phone e-mail and extra staff have been employed to sift through the messages, so close to real-time tracking is possible.

 

The Gawker Stalker site was launched yesterday in New York and among the first Hollywood stars mentioned were Julia Roberts and Colin Farrell, while Chris Martin, of pop group Coldplay was also seen.

 

But the feature has been slammed by those who speak for the stars, who say it invades privacy and could put them in danger.

 

Ken Sunshine, whose clients include Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck, said the site was "outrageous". He added: "It invites dangerous weirdos to come in contact with anybody exposed on this site.

 

"Celebrities and everybody else have certain basic rights, particularly when children are involved - children have to be off limits. This is insanely intrusive and way over the top."

 

Gawker editor Jessica Coen defended the maps, saying they were already proving popular with dozens of sightings being e-mailed in on the first day.

 

Publication date 15/03/06 FILM and pop stars are furious over a new website that can publish details of celebrity sightings within minutes - with a map showing where the star was spotted.

 

Popular gossip site Gawker.com's "stalker map" uses the Google map service to plot the location of the famous face as soon as possible after the tip comes in.

Some readers even send in details of their sighting straight away by phone e-mail and extra staff have been employed to sift through the messages, so close to real-time tracking is possible.

 

The Gawker Stalker site was launched yesterday in New York and among the first Hollywood stars mentioned were Julia Roberts and Colin Farrell, while Chris Martin, of pop group Coldplay was also seen.

 

But the feature has been slammed by those who speak for the stars, who say it invades privacy and could put them in danger.

 

Ken Sunshine, whose clients include Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck, said the site was "outrageous". He added: "It invites dangerous weirdos to come in contact with anybody exposed on this site.

 

"Celebrities and everybody else have certain basic rights,particularly when children are involved - children have to be off limits. This is insanely intrusive and way over the top."

 

Gawker editor Jessica Coen defended the maps, saying they were already proving popular with dozens of sightings being e-mailed in on the first day.

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk

That is truly sick and scary :stunned: :(

Finally I can meet Corey Feldman!

That is scary....not right at all.

 

Whats gonna happen to the nice surprise of just bumping into a celebrity you like, randomly. :/

Say hi to Corey when you're passing

I thought I heard something on the radio earlier today. It is not right really, people need to have their own space sometimes even if they are famous.

Oh my good god...what is the world coming too? :worried:

That is so screwed up.

 

If i ever find the creator of that web site I might just be forced to disembowel him.

 

Or something.

If people stopped caring, maybe the tabliods would leave the celebrities alone finally. This mockery just makes that hope seem that much less likely. Remind me never to get into acting... I would end up so paranoid I'd never leave the house! :stunned:

btw...

 

chris was seen again yesterday.

Finally I can meet Corey Feldman!

 

:lol: OMG. WHat's he doing now? I loved him hehe

Hey FBP what's your jonny gif from?

^Yeah! Its so funny!!!! Looks like Jonnys enjoying himself in it too!! :lol:

Haha. I think it's from the Christmas vid or the X&Y documentary. I'm not sure though. Ask Rionne, she made it. :)

 

And he's so cute. That's why I put it in there. :D

I love his giggling... :lol:

it is very cute. All my gifs are shit lol

No! I love your's! Haven't I told you? Will's so adorbale. :wacky:

Oh wow!:stunned: That is a bit too much... :stunned:

More:

CELEBRITIES are well used to dodging the paparazzi, but now they are facing a new invasion of their privacy - by ordinary people alerting a controversial website to any star sightings in New York.

 

The gossip site gawker.com has introduced a "stalker map", using Google's map service to plot the location of a celebrity as soon as a tip-off is received.

 

Fans can then flock to that bar, restaurant or clothes shop, before the celebrity has had a chance to leave.

 

In the past few days, Julia Roberts was reported as being on Wall Street at 10pm on Tuesday; Chris Martin, the leader singer of Coldplay, was spotted on West 21st Street at 3pm that day looking "confused and slightly scared", while Colin Farrell was seen a few streets away wearing a fedora and "flannel pyjama pants".

 

Spotters report celebrity sightings using BlackBerry e-mail devices, and two staff update the site as fast as possible.

 

The site says: "Sightings are sent in by readers, who use this feature to enact their ill will upon innocent, unsuspecting celebrities and their golden-haired children."

 

The site has attracted complaints from those who speak for the stars, amid claims it invades their privacy and could put them in danger.

 

Ken Sunshine, whose clients include Leonardo DiCaprio and Justin Timberlake, said he thought the maps, launched this week, was "outrageous".

 

He said: "It invites weirdos, if not dangerous weirdos, to physically come in contact with anybody they choose to expose on this site. Celebrities and everybody else have certain basic rights, particularly when there are children involved - children have got to be off limits. This is insanely intrusive."

 

However, Jessica Coen, who co-edits the website, defended the maps and insisted they were already popular with readers, who had e-mailed dozens of sightings on the first day.

 

She also rejected Mr Sunshine's concern for stars' safety.

 

"If people are truly intent on doing some sort of sick harm to a certain celebrity, that information for finding them is already out there," she said.

 

She said most e-mailers did not contact the site until they were back in the office. "It's as immediate as humanly possible, but it's not instantaneous. In theory it can be very quick, but celebrities are not trees - they will be moving."

http://news.scotsman.com

That is just crazy,imagine that it was you that was being stalked!!!!

People are really insane..they should get a life and leave everyone his/her own :dozey:

Yeah but some ppl have nothing better to with their time.....

^yep...that is so sad :disappointed:

I don't understand why anyone would want to know where a famous person is at any time! It's weird!

Two words,"professional stalkers,its actually a profession these days!