There’s much more harm online for kids

Social media has been abuzz with a dangerous, self-harming online game that’s leading the players to their death, early.

The teen-popular game known as “Blue Whale Challenge” has a 50-day challenge whose eventual “victory” is suicide.

The game has a daily challenge that the player completes.

As the challenge progresses, the tasks become creepier, like using a knife to draw the pattern of a whale on your forearms with blood.

Other horrific tasks include watching horror movies and waking up at unusual hours.

LIFE-THREATENING SKILLS

These challenges graduate to life-threatening tasks, including suicide. Those who take their life are the “real champs”.

Inspired by the game, many young people around the world have committed suicide, an act that has necessitated many countries to ban the game.

While the roots of the game appear to be Russia, it is seemingly spreading its tentacles furiously to the rest of the world.

More than 130 young people are reportedly dead in Russia, the game’s epicentre.

Following this dangerous trend, schools in some countries are sending advisories to parents to keep a strict watch on what their children are watching and playing.

GET INSIGHTS

More importantly, parents need to listen to conversations their children are having with their friends, so as to get insights into their lives on the Internet.

Last week, the Kenya Film Classification Board banned the Blue Whale Challenge game after a 16-year-old boy committed suicide in Nairobi.

This death is linked to the game.

This game underscores the make-believe world that is the Internet, especially for children and teens callow minds.

Internet is double-edged. On the Internet, children are open to new ways of learning, playing games and meeting new people, but at the same time they are exposed to a world of dangers.

HORRID CLIPS

Self-harm and suicide in the age of social media is becoming an increasingly prevalent epidemic among young adults.

Facebook and other social networks are home to many horrid video clips of children livestreaming themselves taking their own lives.

Horror stories of social media harassment and exposure to explicit content leading to teen suicide or even murder abound.

The existence of a game like this only adds oxygen to a terrifying fire, especially among individuals in their easy-to-trick teenage years.

Instant messaging, chat rooms, e-mails and social networking sites have been known to be dotted with dangerous dens.

CYBER-BULLYING

These range from cyber-bullying to gambling, to inappropriate material and even exposure to sexual predators.

With most teens using social media sites and many of them connecting with people they don’t know in person, it’s never been easier for sexual predators to target our children.

Parents of small children and teens know how tricky it is to keep their children physically safe while balancing their need for greater independence.

When it comes to keeping them safe online, it can be even trickier. Many are much cleverer than their parents in navigating this treacherous terrain.

As long as the interaction stays online, damage may be minimal.

But, unfortunately, some teens do meet up with strangers posing as younger people.

MEET ONLINE

Even if they’re too sensible to be lured into a real-life meeting with someone they meet online, things can still get ugly.

At best, they may be exposed to some unwelcome suggestions.

The trend exhibited by this dangerous game is a reflection of social media proliferation, which is pervading our lives so much so that we are unable to carefully circumvent temptations and we are falling prey to it.

Parents will have to keep an eye and constantly educate their children on the pitfalls of digital lives.

It won’t become easier. Any transformation comes with some risks, and the Blue Whale Challenge is one of the numerous risks of social media.

The writer is an informatics specialist. [email protected]. @samwambugu2