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You can now take selfies in the White House

There’s always been one big difference between the White House and most tourist spots – selfies are banned at Obama HQ.

That’s all changed now though, as the home of the President of the United States is now camera-friendly.

First Lady Michelle Obama broke the good news by tweeting: “Big news! Excited to announce we’re lifting the ban on cameras and photos on public tours at the @WhiteHouse!”

Previously, visitors on the public tour were strictly forbidden from taking any photographs while inside the building.

Now, however, the White House permits the use of smartphone or compact cameras with lenses that are no longer than three inches.

Related: Best Smartphones 2015

That doesn’t mean you can run around aggressively waggling a selfie stick, mind. There’s still a list of prohibited items, including selfie sticks, tablets, GoPro cameras, and cameras with detachable lenses. Bring one of those in, and you’re angling for a deep-tissue probing courtesy of the secret service.

You’re also still banned from texting, making calls, and livestreaming on the White House premises – that means no Periscope or Meerkat.

Are you going to rush off to the White House to snag a sweet #Obamaselfie? Let us know in the comments.

If you don’t have a device to take snaps on however, you might want to check out our smartphone group test video:

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