Recently, several attractions such as museums, sports arenas, and music venues have rightfully banned the use of “selfie sticks” from their grounds. Selfie sticks are literally sticks used to take selfies. That’s it. Many people believe that this is a very useful tool, and even a necessity to take pictures, but people have been taking pictures for decades without any extra aids. These selfie sticks are quite frankly annoying and should be banned at many public places. According to www.telegraph.co.uk, on average, more than one million selfies are taken every day, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of people that use selfie sticks to take these.
They have been banned in the Smithsonian’s museums in Washington, and according to www.time.com, they were banned “out of concern about damaging the art or people in more enclosed spaces.” It also has been recently reported that “the selfie sticks can be used as an offensive weapon,” as many people have been accidently hit with them while the user was trying to take a picture. Selfie sticks have also been banned in other museums in the United States including the Art Institute of Chicago, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Many very well known sporting events have also banned selfie sticks, including the Kentucky Derby. Many people think that it isn’t a big deal for people using selfie sticks. Petey Yarosh, a freshman, said “People can still take selfies at these events, and I think this issue is being exaggerated.” Officials at the grounds of the Derby believe that “a selfie stick along the rail could become a distraction for horses, and it’s a day when the alcohol flows during the long racing card.”
The Coachella and Lollapalooza music festivals have also banned selfie sticks, and have placed them on the list of prohibited items, along with hula hoops, weapons, and pets. This was done to “ensure the attenders’ enjoyment and not have their views blocked,” according to www.people.com.
The United States is not the only country in the world that is banning selfie sticks. Multiple British soccer clubs that are part of the Premier League have banned the sticks, for the same reason as the music festivals. According to www.mirror.co.uk, selfie sticks can be “used as a weapon, and compromise public safety.”
There has even been an invention of an arm-shaped selfie stick. When the user takes a picture, it will appear as the user is holding hands with another person. According to www.petpixel.com, this was invented because “no one wants to look alone while they mindlessly snap pictures of themselves.” There are two simple solutions of course. The first would be to stop taking selfies, but that is far from being solved in our society. The second would be to take pictures with friends.
Overall, selfie sticks are not required to take pictures and are really annoying, as they take up a lot of space and makes an obstruction for people to avoid. People who use them may not realize how annoying the sticks really are to other bystanders. Many people who use them look very silly anyways, as they are taking a picture of themselves while holding a stick three feet away from them. They are not needed and are just another way for people to waste their money on useless items.
