​South Korea Is Outlawing Knock-Off "Selfie Sticks"

In South Korea, if your selfie game is strong, it might be because you own a selfie stick, that is, a monopod (pole) that you attach your phone to in order to take a selfie from a distance farther than, um, an arm’s length away. But soon, selling the wrong kind of selfie stick could lead to a serious fine or up to three years in prison.

Korea’s Ministry of Science classifies selfie sticks that have bluetooth functionality as “frequency-emitting communications equipment,” and must undergo several rounds of testing in order to attain the proper certification. The government has reached out to citizens to report retailers that are selling unauthorized selfie sticks. Sellers could face a fine of up to 30 million won ($27,000) or three years (max) in prison.

Korean bloggers aren’t too pleased with the new rule for a number of reasons. They see the crackdown as completely unnecessary and simply a way to exert more control over Korean consumers. They also believe the government is using the selfie stick rule to hinder small businesses.

So next time you duct tape your phone to your grandmother’s bluetoothless cane, set the camera timer, and take a selfie, just remember, you’re doing it for the little guys. Or something.

Image via Shutterstock.