Whether you’re on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, it’s likely that you see dozens, if not hundreds, of your friends’ photographs each day. But did you know that social media users share a whopping 1.8 billion photos every day? And according to a recent Telegraph survey, 13% of individuals take a selfie every single day.
But as of late, it’s been shown that selfies aren’t always the safest photographs to take. In fact, India’s city of Mumbai is considering introducing “no selfie zones” at specific locations that have proved to be dangerous and even fatal for those wanting to take a snapshot of themselves. The idea came into consideration after a selfie-induced accident claimed two lives.
A teenage girl died after falling into the sea while trying to photograph herself on a ledge located precariously close to the water. In attempt to save the young woman’s life, a passerby dived in and also died.
And this isn’t an isolated incident in Mumbai. In fact, police have recently identified 16 potentially deadly spots across Mumbai that may be deemed “no selfie zones” in the near future. According to deputy commissioner Dhananjay Kulkarni, the police’s first plan of action would be to request that local authorities put up warning signs at the locations deemed dangerous, and when appropriate, employ the help of lifeguards.
Already, officers have been patrolling dangerous areas, telling passersby not to take selfies there. But if those verbal cautions don’t suffice, then authorities plan to introduce official “no selfie zones.”
In the first month of last year, there were more reported selfie deaths around the world than there were shark attack deaths. And India has been host to some of the most notorious.
In 2015, a 61-year-old Japanese tourist collapsed and died after climbing the stairs of the Taj Mahal in order to take a photograph.
Last month, a Pakistani man in Rawalpindi died after getting hit by a train while trying to take a selfie as he stood on the tracks.
Worldwide, people are obtaining injuries and dying from snapping a selfie or two. Perhaps some memories are best left to be remembered, and not snapped.
