In a move to end a chain of recent selfie deaths, authorities in India’s Goa sate have posted ‘No Selfie’ zones. India is among the world’s leaders in selfie-connected accidents.
Among the cases noted recently, one stands out; two weeks ago a young couple went out on a rocky outcrop above the ocean. As they focused on their phone, they were swept away by large waves.
However, many people ignore the signs, or regard them as suggestions of where to take a picture. “People are not taking responsibility for their safety,” said the head of the private lifesaving company that monitors beaches in the state, Ravi Shanker. “People don’t realise a dry surface now could be washed away in 20 seconds. And because people are looking at their mobiles their alertness levels are low.”
