The Instagram effect: dying for the perfect photo

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 01:18:36 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://stories.theconversation.com/the-instagram-effect-dying-for-the-perfect-photo/>

"In a lush valley west of Cairns, Freshwater Creek flows over the Crystal
Cascades.

Thousands of visitors flock to the clear pools dotted along the rocks.

It's the perfect place for a photo.

Open Instagram and you'll find hundreds of videos and images of people
swimming, diving and exploring the falls. Tags like #ChasingWaterfalls and
#HotGirlSummer hype the content.

This video of a man jumping from the cliff has been viewed 358,000 times.

But as beautiful as it is, this place is deadly. A young man drowned in 2014, a
father and son in 2023 and a tourist in 2024.

It’s a story repeated at scenic spots across Australia, where the pursuit of
the perfect selfie too often ends in tragedy."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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