“Selfie Stick” Ban Widens

In the quest for the perfect "selfie" to post to social media, the "selfie stick" has done wonders. However, it has also earned a spot on the "banned" list at a growing number of venues.

The Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago recently announced that selfie sticks will be banned from the annual summer festival, joining skateboards, aerosol cans, and illegal drugs on the list of prohibited items.

Several major museums have also banned the device: the National Gallery, Chicago Institute of Art, Getty Center, Dallas Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of Art, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Smithsonian, and New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art. Internationally, they have been banned at the Coliseum and at many major museums. Possible injury to both works of art and visitors has been cited as a reason, as well as disrupting the atmosphere of museum, changing the focus from enjoying the art to capturing the perfect image. Several soccer stadiums in the Middle East, Europe, and South America have also instituted bans. The safety of the photographer is also a concern. In national parks, on safari, and even in zoos, turning one's back on wildlife in order to capture a selfie has resulted in injury to some, and multiple venues have banned the practice. In South Korea, legislation has addressed the devices' interference with radio signals.

Checking policies and discussing photo protocol, especially with younger groups, may be necessary before visiting a widening range of venues, as penalties range from being asked to leave, to tickets and fines.

 Photo courtesy of Marco Verch/Wikimedia Commons.