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The Independent reports that so far this year more people have died while trying to taking a 'selfie' than from shark attacks. So far, 12 people have lost their life while trying to take a photo of themselves but the number of people who have died as a result of a shark attack was only eight. Some recent selfie-fatalities: A 66-year-old tourist from Japan recently died after falling down some stairs while trying to take a photo at the Taj Mahal in India, a Mississippi woman was gored to death by a bison while visiting Yellowstone National Park, and in August a man trying to take a selfie was gored to death during a running of the bulls in Villaseca de la Sagra, Spain.
Some groups have been trying to get on top of the wave. In June Disney banned selfie sticks in its amusement parks. And foreseeing the selfie crisis in a very specific way, New York State passed a bill in June 2014 to prohibit people from having their photo taken (or taking it themselves) while "hugging, patting or otherwise touching tigers." In July the Russian Interior Ministry released a brochure, warning about cool selfies that "could cost you your life" and urging selfie-takers to take precaution with weapons, ledges, dangerous animals, trains and live wires. "Before taking a selfie, everyone should think about the fact that racing after a high number of 'likes' could lead him on a journey to death and his last extreme photo could turn out to be posthumous," said an aide to Russia's interior minister.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by lc on Thursday September 24 2015, @01:05PM
Crossing road at signal, when "walk" light is on, might have killed more people. But [people killed by sharks] / [people entering water with risk] may be still a lot higher on the [fatality]/[risky behavior] index. My guess is that [people died taking selfies] / [people taking selfies in stupid places] is small, but not negligible.
That way, crossing roads with phone glued to ear is also risky. Not that I'm against eliminating "risky" types from gene pool, though.
(Score: 4, Funny) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Thursday September 24 2015, @01:40PM
> crossing roads with phone glued to ear is also risky. Not that I'm against eliminating "risky" types from gene pool, though.
Too true, a good friend of mine died that way. Eaten to death by a Great White that was thrown by a passing sharknado.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday September 24 2015, @02:17PM
Let me guess... something like a car hitting the phone?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 1) by Francis on Thursday September 24 2015, @03:32PM
As a percentage, I'd wager that people crossing the street are less likely to be killed than those other activities. Every day billions of people do that and how many of them wind up being killed during the crossing?
I'm sure there's a large number of people taking selfies, but I doubt it's anywhere near as high as the number of times a day that those billions of people cross the road. I know I've crossed roads thousands of times and I've only taken a selfie maybe a handful.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 24 2015, @04:23PM
It's not only people walking in the road who are taking selfies. People do it while motoring, too: in a survey [iam.org.uk] of 500 motorists, 9% of them said they had taken a selfie while driving, within the past month.