While we are trying to deal with the after-math of ’13 Reasons Why’ – now there is a new warning for parents. Beware of ‘The ‘Blue Whale Challenge’.
I was shocked to hear about the latest morbid social media challenge called ‘The Blue whale Challenge’. This is a sick game that targets vulnerable teens and pushes them to self-harm and ultimately, commit suicide.
Authorities say ‘The Blue Whale Challenge’ is being played by kids and adults in the UK, Russia, and India. Now a mother in Texas says her daughter became a victim of the final challenge by taking her life on July 4, 2017.
‘The Blue Whale Challenge’ involves 50 tasks, which are given by an administrator or curator, after the teen finished the previous one.
The tasks ranged from telling the participating teen to self-harm, send photos of the same to the curator, climb a crane or ledge, not speak to anyone all day, to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to watch scary videos and listen to music the curator sends, speak to other ‘whales’ (participants) and finally, commit suicide on the 50th day.
After doing some research on this sick game, my son and I had a long talk. Please help me to get the message out about this horrible social media challenge that is claiming too many lives. ‘The Blue Whale Challenge’ needs to be shut down and the people who created it need to be thrown in prison!
-Dianah Gibson
