How dangerous is the internet for children and teenagers? A lot more than you think it is. We all know about predators and cyberbullying, but two online games are making parents and governments concerned about children’s safety online more than ever. “Blue Whale” is a game that requires players to go through 50 challenges over 50 days. The challenges begin with self-harm. The player is also required to wake up every day at 4:20 AM and listen to a weird song. The administrators of the game also ask the players to watch scary clips on a daily basis. The final challenge asks the player to commit suicide by hanging or jumping off a high building. “Mariam” is a game that was developed in Saudi Arabia. The players are required to escort a young girl named Mariam to her home. While this game has not been directly linked to suicide, it is a violation of the player’s privacy. In order to progress in the game, the players have to answer personal questions such as their addresses. The scary effects of the game impact the mental health of children. The Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) is
parents of these games which could harm their children. The best thing to do is check the children’s devices and monitor their behavior. Numerous deaths in the MENA region were linked back to “Blue Whale.” A 17-year-old
Egyptian girl killed her brother and her disabled mother
by burning down their house as part of the game. Also, former Egyptian MP Hamdy al-Fakharany’s son was
in his room last month. Several notes with symbols referring to the “Blue Whale” game were found. The creator of the game is Philipp Budeikin from Russia. Last July, he was sentenced to three years in jail for convincing vulnerable teenagers to commit suicide, according to
. Philipp described his victims as “biological waste” and that he is “cleansing society.” Be careful and spread the word.
