Selfie Sticks Restricted at This Year's Two Sessions

By Isabella Farr

While selfie sticks were the break out trend at last year's Lianghui, or "Two Sessions," an annual set of meetings with the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (NPC) to assess government policy, they've apparently been restricted this year in a major blow to selfie stick journalism.

Although the motives for the ban are unclear, selfie sticks, which have been labeled as intrusive and dangerous, have already been banned at the Forbidden City and museums across China.

Journalists on Twitter yesterday reported that they recieved messages from the CPPCC Press Center telling them that no selfie sticks would be allowed in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

While selfie sticks have been banned inside the Great Hall of the People, they haven't been totally banned from Two Sessions coverage. According to Ta Kung Pao, selfie sticks are still allowed outside the Great Hall of the People.

Just a year ago, selfie sticks were all the rage at the Lianghui, with China Daily declaring it the "Season of Selfie at Two Sessions."

RIP selfie stick journalism. At least we can still look forward to plenty of pictures of jumping hostesses outside the Great Hall of the People.

[Images via China Daily, Daily Mail, SCMP, People's Daily, Tom Grundy]

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