'A selfie with a weapon kills': Russia launches campaign urging photo safety
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Version 0 of 1. Russian police have launched a campaign urging people to take safer selfies after accidents caused by high-risk poses have resulted in about 100 injuries and dozens of deaths this year. “A cool selfie could cost you your life,” the interior ministry warned in a new leaflet packed with tips such as “a selfie with a weapon kills”. That warning comes after a string of recent selfie-related accidents. In May, a 21-year-old woman accidentally shot herself in the head in Moscow while taking a selfie holding a pistol. She suffered injuries but survived. In January, two young men died in the Urals while taking a selfie holding a hand grenade with the pin pulled out. The mobile phone with the selfie survived as a record. In May, a teenager in the Ryazan region died while attempting to photograph himself as he climbed on a railway bridge and accidentally came into contact with live electrical wires. “Unfortunately we have noted recently that the number of accidents caused by lovers of self-photography is constantly increasing,” said Yelena Alexeyeva, an aide to the interior minister. “Since the beginning of the year we are talking about some hundred cases of injuries for sure.” She added that the phenomenon had also led to “dozens of deadly accidents”. “The problem really exists and leads to very unfortunate consequences.” The campaign includes leaflets, a video and advice on the ministry’s website, and uses warning signs in the style of road signs to get its message across. In one image, a figure holding a selfie stick wanders on a rail track. “A selfie on the railway tracks is a bad idea if you value your life,” the leaflet says. In another of the warning signs, a figure climbs on an electricity pylon while taking a selfie. Related: Man about to jump to his death? Then it must be time for a selfie... The public safety video produced by the ministry includes spectacular images shot by “roofers” – a subculture based around illicitly sneaking into high-rise buildings and taking photos from the top, their pictures often going viral on social media. “Before taking a selfie, everyone should think about the fact that racing after a high number of ’likes’ could lead someone on a journey to death and his last extreme photo could turn out to be posthumous,” Alexeyeva warned. |