The White House has ended the ban on photography and social media use during public tours, and is instead urging visitors to take and share photos from tours using the applicable hashtag #WhiteHouseTour. The photography ban had been in place for 40 years, and was instated in part to reduce the damaging effects of flash photography on artwork.

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Michelle Obama announced the ban's end early Wednesday via a video posted to Instagram in which she rips in half one of the White House's former signs forbidding photos and social media. Visitors to the White House will now find signs reading 'Photography is encouraged' and 'Use the hashtag #WhiteHouseTour to share your experience'.

Some limitations are still in place, however. You can't bring in an interchangeable lens camera, as only phones and cameras with fixed lenses that are less than 3" long are permitted. Tablets and video cameras are also prohibited, as are selfie sticks, tripods, live-streaming and flash photography.