The number of people dying while taking a selfie has become a problem in India – also known as the ‘selfie capital of the world’.
The “killfie” trend is a problem in India. When traveling, everyone wants to have beautiful pictures to keep memories. However, the habit of taking selfies (selfie) has caused many visitors to fall into danger, even die. The trend of playing with “death” According to the South China Morning Post, only in the first three months of 2021, the Indian nation recorded dozens of deaths while taking selfies. The actual number may be even higher. Of course, the act of taking a selfie, simply understood as taking a picture of yourself, is not the direct cause of death. However, many people, because they want to take unique “selfies” to challenge themselves or live virtual, have come to dangerous places such as crooked cliffs, deserted beaches, on railway tracks, running train roofs or cliffs close to the depths … Just not paying attention or stumbling when posing, these people easily let themselves fall into life-threatening situations. In early April 2021, the city government of Agra (northern India) recorded two teenagers drowning while taking a selfie under a pond. In the state of Orissa (eastern India) has recorded 2 deaths, a 27-year-old woman in Orissa state (eastern India) drowned from slipping while taking a “selfie” at a picnic area. Kaanakund, a 13-year-old student, dies from being caught in high voltage wires while taking a selfie on top of a running train. The image of young people “playing dominant”, like “performing” on the terrain “challenging the death”, although still spread rapidly on the social networks of India, but has no longer received praise. Instead, a small proportion of the Indian people have cheated, criticized and boycotted this trend, calling it “deadly game”. In 2018, the Indian Institute of Medical Sciences announced that from 2011 to 2017, there were about 259 deaths caused by “selfie” in the world, of which there were 159 deaths in India when trying to take selfies. risky. Worth mentioning, this problem not only occurs in India, but also Russia, the US and Pakistan are also “named” in the top list of countries with many “killfie” cases (selfie in dangerous areas. ). Most of the victims drowned, were hit by a train or car, and fell from above. Young males, especially those who love adventure, account for three-quarters of all “killfies” globally. For a unique and strange picture, many people do not care for their lives. According to Indian experts, the trend of “selfie” addiction stems from the development of technology in society. According to data company Statista, India is also the country with the highest rate of smartphone usage in the world, equivalent to about 760 million users in 2021. Worldwide, the number of smartphone users is estimated. the figure could exceed 3.8 billion this year. On the other hand, Ms. Rita Joshi – Professor of Sociology at Delhi University, said: “Selfies make people feel up to the trend when posting on social media and receiving likes. It is the easiest way for young people (India) to connect globally, especially those in the West whose lifestyles they want to emulate. Accordingly, politicians, stars, celebrities in India are also the driving force behind this trend to young people. Think, whether it is a “selfie” photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with world leaders or a “selfie” of Bollywood actors can make millions of fans learn to follow. No one says that “Selfie” is an evil act, but irresponsible “selfie” behavior such as disturbing others, destroying landscapes or endangering yourself, is a worrying phenomenon. Therefore, the authorities in India are also trying to prevent this problem. The launch of the Saftie application (Indraprastha Information Technology Institute – Delhi) was announced, helping to warn users about dangerous “selfie” locations, especially demographics from 19 to 30 years old. And check-in at the “cliff of death” in Ma Pi Leng, Ha Giang. On the community side, we can mention the “SelfieToDieFor” movement of a digital marketing entrepreneur launched to raise awareness of people about the “killfie” and a series of websites that broadcast warning videos about consequences of risky selfie behavior. On the government side, the police of Mumbai city and the state of Goa have created selfie-free zones around famous beaches. The Indian Railway Minister also publicly advised young people to avoid “taking selfies” on railway tracks or while performing stunts. Accordingly, the Railway Center shared #SelfieSafety tips; and the Railroad Guard announced sanctions for deliberate “selfie” risky cases. The “check-in” adventure of Vietnamese people The trend of taking photos, filming themselves in dangerous places, anyone watching must be shocked, in order to “live virtual” and seek popularity on social networks, has appeared in our country for many years. Now, especially for adventurous people who like high altitude. On social networks with the largest number of users in Vietnam such as Facebook, Youtube, Tik Tok, … it is not difficult to find photos and clips recording the “death challenge” of Vietnamese young people on skyscrapers, tower tops, steep passes, cliffs,…. without any protection whatsoever. In January 2021, a young man climbed to the “death cliff” of Lai Lung on Ma Pi Leng Pass in Ha Giang to take a careless photo and slipped and fell down a cliff. Shortly thereafter, the local government temporarily banned visitors to this area until it was safe to take. However, contrary to the conventional thinking that dangerous points should be avoided, many online forums still “whisper” to each other, certain invitations must come to “check-in” at this destination to “prove the version. domains “or” overcoming fear “. Near this point, a similar incident happened in the town of Sa Pa (Lao Cai), where a young man fell from the roof to the ground and died while filming a video on the roof of another person. It is known that the victim is a quite popular Tiktok user with more than 140,000 followers. Of course, there are still many such cases in recent years as the society develops, more and more young people own new smartphones, the shooting function is impeccable. . Worth mentioning, despite being warned of danger, many young people are still like “I burned my body into the fire”, absolutely must find all ways to perform stunts to receive “heart drop” turns, ” button like “,” view “of the online community. It is impossible to completely blame technology but the honor of virtual values, or the “virtual life” disease of a part of Vietnamese, is the source of misconceptions and behavior regardless of the network to get the “splash shot”. Worth mentioning, this “killfie” trend which has been very popular in the world has actually “imported” into Vietnamese life for many years. In 2018, many online forums passed each other a clip of three young men climbing onto the roof of a 38-storey building (believed to be in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) to “take a selfie” and film. There is a scene of these young people standing close to the edge of the house and using selfie sticks to take pictures without any protective gear, just losing their feet can fall. Until now, “killfie” is still a trend of young people, potentially many risks of death. So is awareness warning enough?
You must log in to post a comment.