Tag Archives: Selfies

Law Enforcement, Social Media

IN NORTH CAROLINA, TAKING ‘SELFIES’ IS CONSIDERED A CRIME

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imageCUMBERLAND COUNTY, North Carolina  ( The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Taking ‘selfies’ has been officially declared a mental disorder — selfitis — by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) early last year.  Now, it is also a crime, at least in North Carolina.

A 17-year-old boy is facing 10 years in prison after being charged as an adult for having sexually explicit photos of a minor – himself.

Cormega Copening, from North Carolina, where the age of criminal responsibility is 16, is facing two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation and three counts of third-degree exploitation. The third-degree charges of sexual exploitation of a minor actually stem from the pictures Copening had of himself. Each count is a felony charge carrying at least two years in jail.

Copening (Photo: Cumberland Sheriff's Office)
Copening (Photo: Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office)

“In North Carolina you are considered an adult at 16 years old as far as being charged,” said Sgt. Sean Swain of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department. “But to disseminate and receive sexually explicit texts, photos or videos, you must be over 18.”

So when in North Carolina, be discreet when taking selfies, especially if you’re under 18. You will not only be diagnosed with selfitis. You will also be put behind bars.

Health & Medicine

‘SELFIES’ DOWNGRADED FROM MENTAL DISORDER TO POTENTIAL LIFE SAVER

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The 'selfie' that saved a man's life (screengrab)
The ‘selfie’ that saved a man’s life (screengrab)

LOS ANGELES, California (The Adobo Chronicles® ) –  Last year, the American  Psychiatric Association (APA) officially declared ‘selfies’ as a mental disorder, calling it Selfitis, defined as the passive-aggressive urge to take a photo of one’s self and posting it on social media.

Today, the APA downgraded Selfitis to a potential life saver, thanks to a news camerawoman who  took the time to snap a selfie and, in the process, save a life.

Dolores Gillham, a photographer for CBS2 and KCAL9, was taking a selfie when she heard a man cry our for help.  As she took a second selfie, she heard another cry for help. She then contacted her TV station which in turn called for rescue help.

The rest is history. The driver of a car that plunged off the the Angeles Crest Highway was rescued by helicopter and taken to a nearby hospital where he is now recovering.

So the next time you’re driving through a national forest or enjoying the view at a ski resort, go ahead and take a selfie or two. You might end up saving a life.

And no one will think of you as having a mental disorder. Not even the APA!

 

 

Health & Medicine, Social Media, Technology

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY STUDY CONFIRMS: SELFIES A MENTAL DISORDER

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Selfie before the 'Fight of the Century' with Manny Pacquiao, his coach Freddie Roach, and late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel
Selfie before the ‘Fight of the Century’ with Manny Pacquiao, his coach Freddie Roach, and late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel

COLUMBUS, Ohio (The Adobo Chronicles )  – In March of last year, The Adobo Chronicles broke the story about the decision of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to classify the taking of ‘selfies’ as a mental disorder. Called selfitis, or the inflammation of the ego, the disorder manifests itself in three stages: borderline, acute and chronic.

Today, the Ohio State University released a study which all but confirms that selfie taking and posting on the Internet is, indeed, a psychological disorder.

In the study, men who posted more photos of themselves online scored higher in measures of narcissism and psychopathy.

The researchers asked 800 men between the ages of 18 and 40 to fill out an online questionnaire asking about their photo posting habits on social media. The survey included questions about how often they posted photos of themselves on social media, and about whether and how they edited photos before posting. The participants were also asked to fill out standard questionnaires measuring anti-social behaviors and self-objectification (the tendency to overly focus on one’s appearance).

The researchers found that posting more photos was correlated with both narcissism and psychopathy. Editing photos, however, was only associated with narcissism, and not psychopathy. Narcissism measures inflated self-image (often motivated by underlying insecurity), while psychopathy involves a lack of empathy and impulsive behavior. themselves online scored higher in measures of narcissism and psychopathy.

The study focused on men, but it is common knowledge that women outpace men in terms of taking self photos, editing them and posting them on the Internet. Consequently, many social scientists and mental health professionals wonder whether selfitis symptoms are more prevalent and severe in women than in men.

That would be the subject of the next study.