Air programme on dangers of Blue Whale game

Air programme on dangers of Blue Whale game

Context:

• With alarming cases of suicides because of the recent Blue Whale Game, the Supreme Court has ordered educational programmes about the dangers of the online.
• It is to be a public broadcasted through Doordarshan.

What is the Blue Whale game or Blue Whale Challenge?

• The Blue Whale game or Blue Whale Challenge is believed to be a suicide game wherein a group of administrators or a certain curator gives a participant a task to complete daily.
• It is for a period of 50 days.
• The final of which is the participant committing suicide.
• Participants are expected to share photos of the challenges/tasks completed by them.

Consequences of the game:

• The game leads to complete a series of dark challenges.
• For example, self-harming, and ultimately goading the youngster to commit suicide.
• The game leaves vulnerable children vulnerable children at risk of
• Cyberbullying: Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic forms of contact.
• Online shaming: Online shaming is a form of Internet vigilantism in which targets are publicly humiliated using technology like social and new media.

What is being done?

• The Supreme Court directed public broadcaster Doordarshan to conceive a cautionary and educational programme about the dangers of the online game which goads players, mostly students, to commit suicide.
• A Bench gave the public broadcaster a week’s time to prepare the programme and air it on prime time.
• The idea behind the programme is to make parents and children aware of the dangers of online games like Blue Whale.
• Many state governments and schools put out a list of guidelines to raise awareness about the twisted game and also urged parents to keep a strict check on their children’s online activities

What are the other measures to be taken?

• Schools as well as police should issue advisories to parents urging them to be vigilant.
• There must be firewalls against potentially deadly and violent online games.
• The internet safety organisations across the world should have a strict surveillance over such games which are harmful in any means.
• The organisations should provide general advice to parents and educators on suicide prevention, mental health awareness, and online safety.