California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Nicholson v. McClatchy Newspapers, 177 Cal.App.3d 509, 223 Cal.Rptr. 58 (Cal. App. 1986):
4 The fact that information is not previously part of the "public domain" may in some cases be considered in determining whether a cause of action for violation of the right to privacy may be stated. (See Kapellas v. Kofman (1969) 1 Cal.3d 20, 36, 81 Cal.Rptr. 360, 459 P.2d 912.) But this factor is not in itself sufficient to give rise to a cause of action where the legitimate public interest in the published information is substantial. (Ibid.) "Because of their public responsibilities, government officials and candidates for such office have almost always been considered the paradigm case of 'public figures' who should be subjected to the most thorough scrutiny." (Ibid., fn. omitted.)
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