Iman Ali thinks celebrities posting their own pictures on social media are ‘selling themselves’

Actor Iman Ali spoke about what she doesn’t like about social media recently and one of her biggest pet peeves seems to be celebrities who use it excessively.

During an interview with Momin Saqib, the Tich Button actor was asked why she despises social media, to which she replied, “I don’t like social media because people are discourteous there, and you have to capture your own pictures. Earlier, stars were chased by paparazzi, for me if one captures and post their own pictures, it’s a cheap tactic, not the star attitude, people are selling themselves.”

The host, whose claim to fame is a viral video, asked her once again if she thought people who post their pictures on digital platforms were selling themselves. “Yes, that’s how I think, people don’t necessarily have to agree with me,” she replied.

Several celebrities have spoken about the negativity and constant scrutiny they have to deal with on social media, however, social media platforms have undoubtedly made it easier for celebrities to communicate with their fans and have given them opportunities to show their life, which is sometimes more amusing than their work.

Celebrities use these platforms to share events from their life and pictures of whoever they want to, which is much better than being stalked by random photographers. It empowers them with the choice to announce something and talk to their fans directly.

There have been several incidents where artists abroad have shared their traumatic experiences with paps who intrude on their privacy by taking pictures, such as Alia Bhatt slamming a publication for sending photographers to take photos of her and her baby from a neighbouring building, Anushka Sharma calling out the media for taking pictures of her and her husband, Virat Kohli while they were having breakfast on their balcony despite being told to leave them alone and Blake Lively criticising photographers who stalked her at her home when she was pregnant.

Our own celebrities haven’t been immune to the negative aspects of paparazzi culture. Remember when Mahira Khan was criticised for being spotted smoking in New York City accompanied by Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor or when Alizeh Shah had to file a legal complaint because of a nonconsensual viral video that showed her smoking in her car?

That’s not to say, of course, that the internet is a bright and rosy place. There have been multiple incidents of bully and trolls using the anonymity granted by the internet to take cheap shots at people — stars and average people alike. But given that paparazzi culture relies heavily on a lack of consent on the part of celebrities, do we really want to see it in Pakistan?