We celebrate No Selfies Day every year on March 16. While the act of taking a selfie may predate social media, smartphones, and the word itself, selfies have always been popular. Over the years, selfies have become easier to take, and today, you can click a selfie on almost every device. Selfie sticks and multi-functional camera phones make it all too convenient to take selfies and group selfies or ‘groupies.’ However, on No Selfies Day, we are not allowed to take any selfies or groupies. We know… torture. But we’re all in this together!
History of No Selfies Day
The history, origin, and founder of No Selfies Day are unknown. There is no mention of its first observance, but we celebrate it on the birthday of Philippe Kahn, who invented the cell phone camera. Coincidence? We think not! The day targets those obsessed with taking selfies (us all) and the harmful effects. It’s a gentle reminder not to take a picture of yourself today.
Selfie addiction has been linked with psychologically damaging behavior. Research has revealed that a woman, on average, spends about 104 minutes each week trying to capture perfect selfies! Selfies have become a cultural phenomenon because they reveal the basic human desire to feel noticed, appreciated, and recognized. Due to fast-paced social media development, people take selfies and upload them for likes and comments to keep up with the trends. Selfies are even enhanced with lights, filters, effects, and more. As a result, people tend to become confused between someone’s online presence and their real life, leading to a rise in body dysmorphia cases.
Studies also show that we can be negatively affected when someone comments something hurtful, dislikes our image, or even when the image doesn’t get as many likes or comments as one would expect. No Selfies Day gives both the chance and acts as a reminder to forget selfies for at least a day and photograph others instead. Or perhaps just take mind pictures to store for years to come.
No Selfies Day timeline
Robert Cornelius takes the first selfie in the U.S.
Instant cameras, such as Polaroid, become affordable.
The Sony Ericsson Z1010 mobile phone introduces a front-facing camera.
‘Selfie’ is the Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year.
No Selfies Day FAQs
How many selfies are taken in a day?
Google reported in 2019 that their Android devices take about 93 million selfies every single day!
Do women or men post more selfies?
According to various studies, women post more selfies, but not by such a big margin as you might think. In 2021, a study showed that 64% of women had taken selfies and 60% of men.
Is it bad to post selfies?
Many selfies highlighting your physical appearance or lots of selfie collages may say you’re a bit higher on some narcissistic traits. Selfie posters may also be perceived as lonelier, less independent, and less likable than people who have friends to take their photos for them.
How To Celebrate No Selfies Day
Take no selfies
That’s a no-brainer on No Selfies Day. Set yourself free from the judgment of the camera’s eye and the approval of your peers through likes and comments on social media. Spend the day by living your life and being in the moment.
Go on a photo walk
Celebrate No Selfies Day by going on a photo walk. You can take photos of animals, buildings, other people, and anything that catches your eye.
Buy photography software
If you love photography, professionally or otherwise, No Selfies Day is a good day to buy photography software and equipment. You can also join a photography club to meet like-minded people.
5 Facts About Selfies That Will Blow Your Mind
The Eiffel Tower is a famous backdrop
The Eiffel Tower was tagged in over 10,000 selfies in 2015.
Millennials love selfies
The average millennial will take about 25,700 selfies in their lifetime.
Age is just a number
Most selfie-takers are about 23-years-old.
The world’s largest groupie
It was clicked at the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries with 2,000 people in the photo.
The hashtag debuts on Instagram
In 2011, Jennifer Lee was the first to caption her photo with #selfie on Instagram.
Why We Love No Selfies Day
Time to take a break
An average teenage girl spends up to one hour 24 minutes every week trying to get the perfect selfie. No Selfies Day is a reminder to take a break from this exercise.
It encourages self-love
Selfies can create a negative self-image and make us dependent on validation from others. Taking a break from clicking selfies on No Selfies Day encourages self-love.
A chance to revisit history
No Selfies Day might be an ironic holiday, but it’s a great opportunity to revisit history and see how this form of photography has developed over the centuries. You might be surprised at what you find!
No Selfies Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | March 16 | Sunday |
| 2026 | March 16 | Monday |
| 2027 | March 16 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | March 16 | Thursday |
| 2029 | March 16 | Friday |
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