There Are Times to Put Down Cellphones. Lots of Times

Froma Harrop on Jan 6, 2026

The year opened with what could be one of the most horrifying videos of 2026. At 1:30 a.m. in a basement bar at a Swiss ski resort, flames started dancing on the ceiling. Instead of rushing upstairs to flee the room, many celebrants lifted their cellphones toward the blaze, eager to record the thrilling moment to share with friends worldwide.

And their videos show other raised arms holding phones to capture a scene that quickly turned horrific. At least 40 people died as the initially small fire exploded to quickly engulf the entire room -- a terrifying event bearing the hallmarks of a flashover. Some of the dead and badly burned surely included patrons at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana who stayed back to take video.

So many of us these days seem to fancy ourselves news photographers. We go nowhere without video equipment, our cellphone, and can easily load the images onto our social media feeds, affording us automatic ability to publish widely.

But in dangerous or violent situations, the amateurs are not necessarily equipped to assess risk. In chaotic war conditions, such as the recent conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, several professional photojournalists have died. Thirteen were killed covering the Vietnam War. Some were ambitious freelancers trying to capture a career-making visual.

Ordinary police actions now draw swarms of novices trying to nab good video of violence. Sometimes they interfere with police work. Among other stock commands, police tell the photogs to "Move back," "Get behind the tape" and "Back up for your own safety."

Sometimes the amateurs put themselves in danger, especially when there's an active shooter. Sometimes they interfere with evidence -- shell casings, blood trail, dropped items. Sometimes they interfere with paramedics trying to get through.

Everyone, it seems, can play paparazzi. Some wannabes hang out at nightclubs to get a shot of a celebrity, local or international. The rules vary. Many clubs ask cellphone videographers to get consent from the subject before taking pictures. Clubs generally don't like flashes. And, nowadays, they may allow phone cameras but ban bulky photographic gear.

That's a reversal from the pre-cellphone days when clubs routinely banned cameras to protect the privacy of their guests. Copacabana didn't allow unauthorized cameras. Nor did the original Stork Club. That's why there's no photographic record of Ernest Hemingway getting in a fist fight with Lewis E. Lawes, then warden of Sing Sing prison.

Studio 54 had strict rules on guests or anyone else taking pictures. Cameras were forbidden to stop clubgoers from pestering the famous attendees, particularly the celebrities who wanted to let their hair down and didn't want to get caught in an unflattering angle or at otherwise awkward moments.

Club owner Steve Rubell also wanted control of the visual record. The no-camera rule is why there are surprisingly few photos of the goings-on. The photo record emphasizes just raffish fun, like that overused picture of Bianca Jagger riding through the club on a white horse.

Back then, there were no pocket cellphones. Cameras couldn't be easily hidden. (You needed specialized cameras for that.) With cellphones, there's little way of knowing from a distance whether someone is making a phone call, sending a text or taking videos.

For those reasons, health clubs establish no-cellphone zones in women's locker rooms. That means doing nothing that could justify using phone/camera.

There is a market for amateur celebrity pics. They usually must be taken in a public location, be unusual -- not you-know-who walking along the street -- and be of good quality. California has an especially strict anti-harassment law covering such matters.

There are clearly times to put down the cellphone. Lots of times.

Follow Froma Harrop on X @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com.

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