Thousands are sharing a Delhi woman's Facebook post about the Blue Whale game (Representational Image)
New Delhi:
The 'Blue Whale Challenge', an online game blamed for over 100 child suicides across the world, has provoked a scare and huge concern in India amid reports that more than six deaths over the past few weeks are linked to it.
Last week, many states warned parents about the deadly game and the government is examining whether it can be removed.
Perhaps far more effective than any message in recent times is a woman's widely-shared Facebook post about how she confronted her seven-year-old niece after she downloaded the game. In just a day, Delhi resident Priyanka Bansal's post has collected over 45,500 shares and counting.
The child, a Class 1 student, heard about the game from her seniors in Class 4-5. The children, who travel to school with the little girl, told her to download the "very funny and interesting game" and not delete it.
Ms Bansal wasn't sure if the game downloaded by her niece was real, but she deleted it anyway and told her to stay away from her parents' mobiles. She even told her that it was a "bhoot" or ghost-related game to scare her off.
"She is very small and I am sure she would not have gone further in operating this game or in reading instructions, but who knows if she could have done this. Fortunately we got to know about her actions in the very initial stage of this stupidity," writes Ms Bansal.
The Blue Whale challenge is not actually a video game or an app. It is a set of instructions that are shared with vulnerable children and teens online. Click here to read more about the game.
While it's possible the little girl may have downloaded another game of the same name, Ms Bansal's post asks parents to keep an eye on their children's online activity.
"Keep your devices locked and away from kids. Imagine that the deadly game is been discussed by kids of 1st class and suggested by kids of 4th class. Please find out a way to talk to kids or may be use what I did. (Bhoot version). Please take care your small ones," she says on Facebook.
Click here to read the entire post.
Last week, many states warned parents about the deadly game and the government is examining whether it can be removed.
Perhaps far more effective than any message in recent times is a woman's widely-shared Facebook post about how she confronted her seven-year-old niece after she downloaded the game. In just a day, Delhi resident Priyanka Bansal's post has collected over 45,500 shares and counting.
The child, a Class 1 student, heard about the game from her seniors in Class 4-5. The children, who travel to school with the little girl, told her to download the "very funny and interesting game" and not delete it.
Ms Bansal wasn't sure if the game downloaded by her niece was real, but she deleted it anyway and told her to stay away from her parents' mobiles. She even told her that it was a "bhoot" or ghost-related game to scare her off.
"She is very small and I am sure she would not have gone further in operating this game or in reading instructions, but who knows if she could have done this. Fortunately we got to know about her actions in the very initial stage of this stupidity," writes Ms Bansal.
The Blue Whale challenge is not actually a video game or an app. It is a set of instructions that are shared with vulnerable children and teens online. Click here to read more about the game.
While it's possible the little girl may have downloaded another game of the same name, Ms Bansal's post asks parents to keep an eye on their children's online activity.
"Keep your devices locked and away from kids. Imagine that the deadly game is been discussed by kids of 1st class and suggested by kids of 4th class. Please find out a way to talk to kids or may be use what I did. (Bhoot version). Please take care your small ones," she says on Facebook.
Click here to read the entire post.
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