March 12, 2007 at 3:26 am · Authored by Ewan · Filed under Mobile

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Originally uploaded by smstextnews.

Check out this article in the Sunday Telegraph.

During their three-year romance, they have been stalked by the paparazzi while studying at university, shopping near their home and partying at nightclubs.

Now, however, the privacy of Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton is under threat from a new phenomenon: “citizen journalism”.

Members of the public have realised that a single photograph of the couple taken on a mobile phone or a discreet digital camera can earn them thousands of pounds if sold to a picture agency. In turn, the agency sells the picture on to newspapers and magazines.

Prince William, 24, and Miss Middleton, 25, were targeted for the first time by members of the public during their ski holiday to the Swiss resort of Zermatt last week.

Well it’s game over for the Royals’ and any celebrity out there. Game over. You’re not going to get any privacy whatsoever when it’s the end-consumer you’re dealing with. Everyone will be eyeing the dollarsigns — and even if British newspapers agree not to accept ‘citizen journalist mobile snapshots’, well, they’ll make their way on to the web — and I’m sure international publications wouldn’t be shy about publishing ‘interesting’ shots.

What’s your perspective? The writing has been on the wall for this for a long time — but in today’s climate of 2 megapixel+ cameras all around — it won’t be long before the fear becomes a day to day reality, I’m sure.