Slippery Selfies Prompted By Social Media Puts Lives At Risk

Australia, the United States, and Pakistan follow it in Selfie-death rankings. Drowning, transport, and fall are among the most common reasons for deaths caused by selfies. 

Between October 2011 to November 2017, there were 259 deaths of people, mostly young and male while clicking selfies in 137 incidents. The mean age was just 22.94 years. 

The pursuit of the perfect photo or video often leads to ignorance or disregard of safety warnings, with visitors unaware of the inherent risks in such environments.

The Scale Of The Problem

Across the globe, risky behaviours near water have become a growing concern.

Data from researchers at UNSW Sydney also shows that India has the highest burden of selfie and social media related injury and death — but when it comes to water-borne incidents, Australia too has seen more than its fair share.

On a per capita basis, these trends remain troubling, highlighting a persistent issue that spans beyond raw numbers.

Visualising The Impact

Using map data, we see clear clusters where incidents frequently occur. Places like the beaches in Goa, dams in Tamil Nadu and high rises in big cities, serve as magnets for thrill-seekers inspired by the content they see online.

For example, four members  of a family died in Pamban dam in Tamil Nadu on a single day while trying to take a selfie, including a 20-year-old newlywed woman. Another young woman slipped and fell to her death while taking a selfie near the Needle Hole Point, a popular scenic spot at Mahabaleshwar.

The Charm Of Influencers

Social media platforms, influencers, and the quest for the perfect photo play a significant role in shaping these behaviours.

Influencers, straddling the line between educators and entertainers, have a unique power to either promote safety or inadvertently encourage risk-taking. While many aim to showcase the beauty of nature responsibly, others push the boundaries for more engagement, often overlooking the potential dangers.

Travel influencers interviewed for an upcoming research paper have reported they see themselves as “entertainers, not educators”.

The trouble with social media-related harm in the real world is that no stakeholder wants to have any real skin in the game.

The social media companies don’t take responsibility for content that can lead to real-world harm; the influencers see themselves as mere performers; the users who imitate behaviours seen online see themselves as victims when something goes wrong and the media likes to put the blame on these victims.

How To Curb The Trend

There are several things we can do to curb the trend.

Social media-driven behaviour is highly motivated by social norms and the need for peer approval. There may be scope to make taking risky photos “uncool”.

Collaborating with influencers on risk messaging may be a step in the right direction, but influencers may not see a benefit to providing this type of content if it doesn’t improve their engagements.

Land managers have a responsibility to protect people on their lands, such as national parks, but there really is only so much they can do: warning signs, barriers, websites and legacy methods of communication. We know that for these social media-driven tourists, this may not be enough.

Lastly, there does need to be personal responsibility and the tacit acknowledgement that actions have consequences.

Nevertheless, people do deserve a chance, and one silly mistake shouldn’t need to lead to grave injury or death. People need the tools to make educated and informed decisions about their behaviour in the outdoors so that they can enjoy it and go home safely.

Addressing risky behaviours in aquatic locations is not about placing blame but about adopting a culture of self-awareness and safety. A public health response could pave the way for a collective effort in reducing these incidents.

Leveraging the influence of social media in a positive way may help to make these beautiful natural spots safer for everyone.

(The author is pursuing a doctoral degree with the aim of exploring how to effectively convey risk information to social media users, specifically through location-based safety messaging. Views are personal)

Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.