Influencers still reeling from momentary TikTok shutdown get more bad news as Brazil bans selfies on “Surfer’s Rock”

"Tourists and influencers have been known to wait in line for hours to pose on the edge of the iconic Surfers’ Rock..."

It has NOT been a good month for influencers. Life was upended, for many, when the popular short-form video sharing application TikTok went dark in the United States for 48-hours-ish after the land’s Supreme Court upheld a congressional ban due fears of spying. ByteDance, TikTok’s owner, happens to be a Chinese, much like Kelly Slater’s longtime girlfriend, and there was apparent evidence of much maleficence from the People’s Republic extending beyond turning children’s brains to mush.

But who could forget when the 11-time world surf champion clapped back at a historically inaccurate troll during a debate on Chinese fishing vessels wrecking the Galapagos Islands. Writing me out of the blue talking shit is such a crock of shit,” Slater fired at his young nemesis, “Accusing me of being a racist? My girlfriend is Chinese. You’re on glue. You’re a miserable coward. And now you’re blocked.”

Anyhow, the TikTok ban was quickly reversed by incoming President Donald J. Trump but not without causing extreme sadness and feelings of anxiety for the aforementioned doyens. Their spiral of depression deepening, overnight, after Brazil outlawed the taking of selfies on the popular “Surfer’s Rock” due fears of not spying, but collapse.

The “naturally-formed surfboard-shaped rock that juts out over Lagoinha do Leste beach in Morro da Coroa, Brazil, has been the backdrop for hundreds of thousands of photos on Instagram,” according to PetaPixel, which explained, “Tourists and influencers have been known to wait in line for hours to pose on the edge of the iconic Surfers’ rock at the beach, for Instagram-worthy photos that give the illusion that the subject is dangling their legs over the precipice.”

Well, all the action has led to the possible demise of the stone which is an ongoing concern for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which charges “selfie-tourism” with destroying cultural landmarks around the globe.

“Unlike traditional tourism, which focuses on capturing personal memories,” UNESCO declares, “selfie-tourism is fueled by the need to generate visually appealing content for social media. Now, holidaymakers are choosing travel destinations simply because they look ideal for an Instagram photo.”

Much like Filipe Toledo in Tahiti.

But have you ever fallen into the trap of selfie-tourism?

Where were you and where did you pose?

Share, please.