SELFIES

Selfies are photographs typically taken by the person pictured, usually with a front-facing camera on a smartphone or compact camera. They are commonly shared on social media to document moments, appearance, or surroundings and may involve deliberate poses, expressions, or backgrounds.

Origin and etymology: The practice predates smartphones, but the term selfie emerged in the 2000s. A widely cited early use appeared on an Australian online forum in 2002. The word gained global usage with the rise of front-facing cameras and mobile apps, and was named Oxford Dictionaries' word of the year in 2013. The proliferation of smartphones with front-facing cameras—especially from the early 2010s onward—helped popularize the format.

Use and cultural impact: Selfies function as a mode of self-presentation, documentation, and social signaling. They appear in personal updates, travel posts, fan culture, and marketing. Proponents view selfies as empowering and creative, while critics associate them with narcissism or vanity and note potential effects of social comparison.

Techniques and formats: Common variants include portrait selfies, mirror selfies, and group selfies. Accessories such as selfie sticks extend reach, while photo editing and filters enable aesthetic adjustments. Platform features like tagging, geotagging, and captions influence how selfies circulate online.

Ethics and safety: Issues include privacy and consent of people pictured, the potential for non-consensual sharing or manipulation, and the risk of unsafe behavior when taking photos in hazardous settings. Users are advised to consider context, consent, and safety when capturing or sharing selfies.