Blue Whale Challenge: Game that causes people to commit suicide

It is an online game where the player has to complete a set of 50 grossly inhuman tasks assigned by the administrators, where the last task is that of committing suicide

. The Blue Whale Game which originated in Russia, has surreptitiously crept into the digital space and has today emerged as the biggest online threat in many countries.Representational Image/ Courtesy: PTI

NEW DELHI: The suicide of a Mumbai teen, being allegedly linked to the first Blue Whale Game death in the country, has raised some serious concerns about the safety of our netizens. The Blue Whale Game which originated in Russia, has surreptitiously crept into the digital space and has today emerged as the biggest online threat in many countries. It is an online game where the player has to complete a set of 50 grossly inhuman tasks assigned by the administrators, where the last task is that of committing suicide. The game runs in a secretive manner and is played between challengers (the one who agrees to play the game) and administrators (who assign tasks to the challengers). The players are given a task everyday and they have to complete the task and produce an evidence of the completion of the task. The victims therefore make their videos while performing the task or send a photo proof to the administrators. Only after the successful completion of the task, they can move forward with their next task, which may be assigned to them immediately or the other day. According to the reports the tasks assigned include pretty aberrant activities like waking up at odd hours, watching videos sent by the administrators, self mutilation, poking needles, carving patterns on body and the ultimate one is jumping off to death. The game targets the most gullible section of the population, the teenagers. Philipp Budeikin, the Russian creator of the game has been sentenced imprisonment after he admitted provoking suicide. Apart from Russia, some of the countries where the trends of teenage suicide, attempts to suicide and self-harm have caught pace, include Argentina, Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The Andheri suicide is the first case of India which is being linked to the Blue Whale Challenge. Though Mumbai Police hasn’t yet confirmed the reason behind death. This digital monster is said to have claimed over 130 young lives. The game uses platforms such as Youtube, Snapchat and Instagram to lure its preys. The keywords associated with the game are A Silent House, Sea Of Whales, F57 or F-57. The internet is the latest Pandora’s Box; the users must watch their backs.