Who doesn’t love taking a group photo at a show with all of your closest friends? Apparently, multiple music venues in the UK don’t.
O2 Academy Brixton, London’s O2 Arena, and Wembley Arena are among such venues that are banning the famous (or infamous?) ‘selfie stick’, citing it as a safety hazard to other concertgoers. The Academy Music Group (which runs Brixton Academy) said the ban followed their existing policy that “prohibits the filming and photography during a performance with iPads and other tablet devices and includes any such obstructions for the satisfaction of other customers”.
They’re not entirely wrong; selfie sticks can obstruct the view of others and cause an annoyance for surrounding patrons. And these venues aren’t the first people to ban it – South Korean authorities have recently imposed a crackdown on uncertified Bluetooth selfie sticks, claiming they can cause unwanted electronic interference, and sellers of such devices could face jail time or a $25,000+ fine.
Now we wait and see if, or how, other venues (or festivals) will folllow suit. Would a stick-less Ultra or EDC be that bad?
[Source: NME | Photo: FACT Magazine]
