According to a study conducted by the iO Foundation, a Spanish organization specializing in the study of tropical diseases, the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates. The data for the study was compiled using an epidemiological intelligence tool called the Heimdllr Project.
The study’s authors used this tool to comb through all the published news stories and official statements between January 2008 and July 2021 in six widely used languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese.
The results proved that worldwide, the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates. It confirmed at least 379 cases of death by selfie and that this manner of death is a growing trend.
Number of Deaths by Selfie Is Rising at Alarming Rates
It is essential to note the limitations of this study because it does not include deaths that were not reported by the media for one reason or another. It also does not include deaths that may have been reported but in a language other than the six covered by the Heimdllr Project.
The fact that the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates is not in doubt. Many experts estimate that the actual global number is more likely well beyond 500, considering the number of languages and dialects not covered by the tool.
This method of analyzing a tremendous amount of worldwide data also did not include severe accidents and other injuries related to selfie picture taking. Assumably, some people may have succumbed to these injuries later and therefore were not attributed to the dangerous self-picture-taking activity.
To give a more realistic picture of how the number of deaths by selfie is growing at an alarming rate, the study pinpointed the first seven months of 2021. Even though strict travel restrictions were being enforced in many countries worldwide, 31 deaths involving taking a self-picture were recorded in those seven months. That is an average of once a week.
Where Number of Deaths by Selfie Is Rising at Alarming Rates
The three top countries where the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates are, according to the study and in order of frequency are India, the United States, and Russia. Australia and Spain were also reportedly tied for sixth place in the study that included more than 50 countries in total.
According to the authors of the study, accidents in places such as cliffs, waterfalls, and rooftops were by far the leading locations where the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates.
People are becoming more and more willing to put themselves in dangerous and very risky places and positions simply to obtain a photo of themselves to post on social media. Many countries are beginning to understand that this behavior is quickly becoming a public health issue.
Number of Deaths by Selfie Is Rising at Alarming Rates in Teens and Young Adults
Another interesting result of the study was that the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates in predominately young people. Specifically, by age groups, those 19 and younger at the time of death were 41% of the total, while those between 20 and 29 years old accounted for another 37%.
All of the statistical data reported by the study still points to the simple fact that the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates, yet they were also entirely preventable. Many health experts are considering Self-picture taking to be bordering on addiction behaviors.
Consider the fact that most people do not simply take one photo of themself and post it immediately to their social media sites. The person often takes multiple pictures then sorts through all the options before choosing one to post. Then they may use filters and other editing tools to post what they perceive will garner the most attention.
The importance of the number of likes received on posts made to social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook has replaced the personal opinions of real-life friends and family members. This fact alone is at the center of the debate of why the number of deaths by selfie is rising at alarming rates.
So the next time you are trying to get that ultimate selfie, ask yourself, is a picture really worth risking your life over?
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