Tourists and members of the public in an Italian city are heavily fined by local authorities for taking selfies. Located on the Italian Riviera, Portofino is one of the most beautiful cities. It attracts thousands of tourists every year. The town is spread around a small harbor and is known for the colorfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century, Portofino has attracted european tourists and is now the most popular resort for the world's wealthy. The picturesque town is an ideal destination for travelers looking for pastel-colored houses, seafood restaurants, and high-end amenities. However, for selfie lovers, this city may not be the best place to visit. To prevent tourists from 'staying' for long at a tourist spots, no-Waiting Zones have been introduced by the local government in the city.
If a person is caught by local authorities while taking selfies in certain places, he will have to pay a fine of €275 ($303). Matteo Viagava, the mayor of Portofino, Italy, said people taking selfies were causing "a lot of confusion". This includes traffic congestion on the streets and major traffic jams, he said. The local government introduced the rule over the easter weekend. It plans to extend the selfie rule until the end of the holiday season in October. The ban imposed by the local government is lifted at 6 pm every day for tourists who are tempted to take selfies in the restricted zones. Portofino is the only city where the authorities have banned selfies.
Even in Japan, selfies are banned. Japan's railway authorities have banned the use of selfie sticks across the railway network amid fears that selfie-takers could accidentally touch overhead wiring and get electrocuted. In the UK, selfies are banned in parts of the Tower of london due to security concerns regarding the Crown Jewels. Taking any kind of photographs or videos with the royal jewels is strictly prohibited as the Jewel house poses a threat to their security. In Spain, during the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona the government has banned selfies. The rule is in place to prevent people from being attacked by running bulls and fines of €3000 ($3,305) have been imposed for those caught taking selfies.Officials monitoring California's Lake Tahoe have banned the practice of taking selfies after seeing many visitors trying to take selfies with the bears. Earlier, it reportedly caused some accidents.
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