The “Blue Whale Challenge”, is an deadly internet game that consists of a series of tasks assigned to players by administrators during a period of 50 days, with the final challenge requiring the player to commit suicide. The Blue Whale is all about self-harm, depressing messages and suicide.
Blue Whale began in Russia in 2013 with “F57”, one of the names of the so-called “death group” of the VKontakte social network and allegedly caused its first suicide in 2015. Philipp Budeikin, a former psychology student who was expelled from his university, claimed that he invented the game. Budeikin stated that his purpose was to “clean” the society by pushing to suicide those he deemed as having no value. Later, Budeikin was arrested and pled guilty to “inciting at least 16 teenage girls to commit suicide”, leading to Russian suicide prevention legislation.
The game is based on the relationship between the challengers and the administrators. It involves a series of duties given by the administrators that players must complete, usually one per day, some of which involve self-mutilation. Some tasks can be given in advance, while others can be passed on by the administrators on that day, the last task being suicide. The list of tasks to be completed in 50 days, includes waking up at 4:20 A.M, climbing a crane, carving a specific phrase on the person’s own hand or arm, doing secret tasks, poking a needle to the arm or leg, standing on a bridge and roof, listening to music, and watching videos sent to the challengers by the administrator. The participants are asked to carve out shapes on one’s skin, self-mutilation and eventually the extreme step.
Children all over the world has been targeted. Innocent children have lost their life due to this game. In San Juan Province, Argentina, a 14 year old boy was admitted to intensive care after participating in Blue Whale. On 27 June 2017, 16 year old Benjamín Palavecino died after attempting to complete the final suicide challenge. In Paulista, a girl gave testimony after being threatened in the challenge of the Blue Whale. In the state of São Paulo, Luis Fernando Hauy Kafrune and Kaena Novaes Maciel, aged 19 and 18, stayed at Maksoud Plaza, a luxury hotel in the region of the Paulista Avenue, where Luis killed Kaena with a bullet in the head and then committed suicide. Authorities linked this crime with Blue Whale. In the Federal District, on 5 May 2017, four hearing impaired adolescents playing Blue Whale were prevented by the Military Police from committing suicide. In Teófilo Otoni, a 17 year old female participant of Blue Whale jumped from the six meter wall of the property where she lives with her family. The young woman survived and was hospitalized. The teenager told the police that she had already cut her arms because of the game and that she had been given the challenge of taking her own life. On 30th July 2017, a 14 year old boy allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the seventh floor of an Andheri building in the city of Mumbai. In Spain, a teenager was admitted to a psychiatric unit of a Barcelona hospital after her family said she started playing Blue Whale.
Please note that still there is no confirmation on the existence of the game. Suicides linked to it are from personal accounts of families or friends of those deceased who claim they have seen their loved ones performing tasks. While reports of suicides linked to the game have surfaced across the globe, authorities claim that the origin appears to be in Russia, which has reportedly seen about 130 related deaths and at least two arrests.
It’s a message to all the parents urging them to be vigilant and to keep an eye out on what their children are sharing on their social media accounts. “Remember that prevention is better than cure”. Stay away from blue whale game!!!!!
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