Voting Selfie

I've never given it much thought until now, but my understanding over the privacy around one’s voting experience in those booths is done for the safety of the people casting their votes, right?

It makes sense to keep that experience a close-kept secret when you have other individuals running around and threatening people to vote things their way. So it makes sense for that privacy to exist as it basically comes down to the security of people’s lives.

Imagine the trouble that could be caused by extreme activists if they were able to identify all the people that voted against their beloved parties. There would be so much unnecessary bloodshed. But of course that’s just how I understand the privacy of the voting booth.

Reading the recent release from the IEC that warns people against taking selfies when they vote has made me curiously confused.

http://www.news24.com/Elections/News/IEC-No-selfies-please-20140504

 "It is an offence to take and/or publish photographs which reveal a person’s vote on a ballot paper. Upon conviction offenders will be liable to a fine or a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year".

To be honest, I'm truly surprised the IEC feels the need to make such a statement; however, given the mindset of today’s average individual I can see why they feel the need to. But is protecting peoples safety really the only reason they are doing this?

Anyone with even half a working brain cell would know the consequences of taking a selfie that shows where their allegiance lies and even if they don’t, it won’t be long before they do. 

But after thinking a bit about it, is it really illegal for someone to shout out their personal banking details to the world? Are people really arrested for displaying how many sexual partners they have or plan to have?

If you think about it, it’s all the same in the end.