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September 26, 2017
Judge Tom
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Don’t fall for the Blue Whale Challenge

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Girl staring at laptop

Apparently the Blue Whale Challenge has been around for a few years. Believed to have started in Russia, it has spread across the globe and is believed to have contributed to the suicide of young people in many countries. The name stems from the known behavior of blue whales that beach themselves and die.

The internet game challenges the viewer to complete certain assigned tasks over a period of 50 days. The administrator of the game (identity unknown) uses bribery and cyberbullying to goad viewers to continue playing. Here is an example of some of the tasks required of participants:

1. Carve with a razor “f57” on your hand, send a photo to the curator.

2. Wake up at 4.20 a.m. and watch psychedelic and scary videos that curator sends you.

3. Cut your arm with a razor along your veins, but not too deep, only 3 cuts, send a photo to the curator.

(These were taken from UNICEF* India that included frequently asked questions about the Challenge):

The Challenge has come to the U.S. and some school districts are alerting parents and students about the dangers of the game. Instagram now warns users that they may encounter images that encourage hurtful behavior. The last assignment in the challenge is to take your life by jumping off a high building. Although unconfirmed, it is believed that, after fifty days of the constant harassment, bullying and blackmail, a few gamers have followed through by ending their lives.

For an article in Forbes (February, 2018) about the Challenge, see:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewrossow/2018/02/28/cyberbullying-taken-to-a-whole-new-level-enter-the-blue-whale-challenge/#32dc817b2673

*UNICEF stands for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.

Photo by Amy Clarke

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Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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