Blue Whale Challenge Explained

"Blue Whale", also known as the "Blue Whale Challenge", is a social network phenomenon dating from 2016 that is claimed to exist in several countries. It is a "game" reportedly consisting of a series of tasks assigned to players by administrators over a 50-day period, initially innocuous before introducing elements of self-harm and the final challenge requiring the player to kill themselves.[1] [2]

"Blue Whale" first attracted news coverage in May 2016 in an article in the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta that linked many unrelated child suicides to membership of group "F57" on the Russian-based VK social network.[3] A wave of moral panic swept Russia.[4] The piece was criticised for attempting to make a causal link where none existed, and none of the suicides were found to be a result of the group's activities.[4] Claims of suicides connected to the game have been reported worldwide, but none have been confirmed.

The game has reportedly been banned in some countries, including Egypt,[5] Kenya,[6] and Pakistan.[7] Experts have said that it is difficult or even impossible to ban the game.[8] [9] [10]

Background

In November 2015, a Russian teenager posted a selfie with the caption "nya bye" before dying by suicide; her death was then discussed in internet forums and groups, becoming mixed with scare stories and folklore. Further suicides were added to the group stories. Soon after, Russian journalist Galina Mursaliyeva first wrote about these "death groups" in an article published in the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta in April 2016. The article described the "F57" groups on Russian social media site VK, which she claimed had incited 130 teenagers to kill themselves. Mursaliyeva's article was criticised at the time of its release for lacking credible data and balance, with the 130 cases of suicide cited being particularly problematic. The number was originally suggested by the father of one of the teenagers, Sergey Pestov, who came to the figure 130 by using Russian media sources to look for child suicides he believed were linked to online groups; he then produced a brochure which implied that foreign intelligence operatives were responsible for encouraging Russian children to die by suicide. After an investigation by Evgeny Berg for Meduza, Mursaliyeva responded by saying in fact there had been at least 200 suicides.[11]

The origin of the name "Blue Whale" is uncertain. Some reports say that it comes from a song by the Russian rock band Lumen. Its opening lines are "Why scream / When no one hears / What we're talking about?" and it features a "huge blue whale" that "can't break through the net." Others believe it to be a reference to beaching, where whales become stranded on beaches and die.

The game is said to run on different social media platforms and is described as a relationship between an administrator and participant. Over a period of fifty days the administrator sets one task per day; the tasks seem innocuous to begin with ("get up at 4:30a.m.", "watch a horror movie"), and move on to self-harm, leading to the participant killing themselves on the final day. As professor at Russian State University for the Humanities, Alexandra Arkhipova found that the administrators were found to be children aged between 12 and 14, drawn to the story as it became widely reported and not, as the hysteria had intimated, predatory adults.

Social concerns

While many experts suggest "Blue Whale" was originally a sensationalised hoax, they believe that it is likely that the phenomenon has led to instances of imitative self-harming and copycat groups, leaving vulnerable children at risk of cyberbullying and online shaming.

By late 2017, reported participation in Blue Whale was receding.[12] Internet safety organisations across the world have reacted by giving general advice to parents and educators on suicide prevention, mental health awareness, and online safety in advance of the next incarnation of cyberbullying.

American skeptic Ben Radford researched the phenomenon, calling it the "moral panic du jour" and equating it to the Dungeons & Dragons controversies of the 1980s.[13] Radford also states "this is only the latest in a long series of similar moral panics and outrages shared on social media ... the best antidote ... is a healthy dose of skepticism". The podcast Squaring the Strange included his analysis of the dangers for parents when these stories are spread. [14]

Police warnings

Police in Russia have extensively issued warnings about the game.

Police in numerous other countries have issued warnings, including in Armenia, Brazil, France,[15] India,[16] New Zealand and the United Kingdom.[17]

Arrests

In 2016, Philipp Budeikin, a 21-year-old former psychology student who was expelled from his university, claimed that he invented the game in 2013. According to Budeikin, its purpose is to "clean society of biological wastes", as he intended to "clean" society from individuals who were deemed as having no value and considered as burdens.[18] [19] [20] Although originally claiming innocence and stating he was "just having fun", Budeikin was arrested and held in Kresty Prison, Saint Petersburg, and in May 2016 pled guilty to "inciting at least 16 teenage girls to commit suicide".[19] He was later convicted on two counts of inciting suicide of a minor.[21] Commentators such as Benjamin Radford have pointed out that sensationalized stories in world news regarding the involvement of Budeikin have all linked back to just two Russian sources, with tabloid news outlets replicating the same information without elaboration.[22]

In June 2017, postman Ilya Sidorov was arrested in Moscow, also accused of setting up a "Blue Whale" group to encourage children to self-harm and ultimately die by suicide. He claimed to have persuaded 32 children to join his group and follow his commands.[23]

In June 2018, Russian financial analyst Nikita Nearonov was arrested for allegedly masterminding the Blue Whale game. Nearonov is suspected of grooming 10 "underage" girls in order to bring them to suicide, two of whom, aged 14 and 17, are known to have survived. As a financial analyst, Nearonov has been described as a "very smart" computer expert who held a large amount of contempt for teenagers, believing that they were "wicked" and "deserved to die". Police reports claim that Nearonov's involvement in the Blue Whale game was his "hobby".[24]

Alleged incidents

Armenia

According to news reports, the cause of death of 15-year-old Hrachya Nersisyan, who died by suicide, was the game "Blue Whale". According to the head of the department for the Protection of Minors' Rights and Combating Domestic Violence of the Main Criminal Investigation Department of the Armenian Police, Nelly Duryan, the Armenian segment of the Internet is flooded with messages about this "game", but there are no final conclusions on this issue yet.[25]

Australia

Although no reports of suicides in Australia have been linked to the game, an investigation by an Australian journalist on Kidspot reportedly confirmed the existence of the game.[26]

Bangladesh

Despite many news reports published in Bangladeshi media attempting to link suicides with the game,[27] [28] no case has been officially confirmed.

In October 2017, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan stated that the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has been directed to investigate the Blue Whale game after reports of suicide around the country.[29] [30] BTRC released a notice urging people to call a specific number if any web link or any information related to the Blue Whale game were to be found.[31] [32] Later that month, the Bangladeshi High Court ordered a six-month ban on special night-time internet packages provided by various mobile operators across the country.[33]

Brazil

Despite several news reports in Brazilian media linking cases of child self-harm and suicide with Blue Whale and several ongoing investigations, none have been officially confirmed.[34] [35] [36]

In response to the game, a designer and a publicity agent from São Paulo created a movement called Baleia Rosa (Pink Whale),[37] which became popular. It relied on the collaboration of hundreds of volunteers. The movement was based on positive tasks that value life and combat depression.[38] Another movement, the Capivara Amarela (Yellow Capybara), was created by Sandro Sanfelice, and proposed to "combat the Blue Whale game" and guide people seeking some kind of help. Participants were separated into either challengers, who are the people who need guidance, or healers, who are a kind of sponsor to the challengers.[39] An Adventist school in southern Paraná, in partnership with other education networks, also sought to reverse the situation by proposing another charity game, the "Jonas Challenge" (referring to the biblical character Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale and vomited up three days later).[40] Other games created in Brazil in response to the Blue Whale were the Baleia Verde (Green Whale) and the Preguiça Azul (Blue Sloth).

In Belo Horizonte and Recife metropolitan area in Brazil, many schools promoted lectures to talk about the Blue Whale game.[41] On May 21, 2017, it was announced that the Brazilian police Specialized in High Technology Crime Repression in Piauí were preparing a digital primer to warn young people about the dangers of the game.[42]

Bulgaria

The first media reports of the game in Bulgaria appeared in mid-February 2017. However, the game was dismissed as a hoax by the Georgi Apostolov Centre.[43]

Chile

The first alleged case of the game in Chile was reported in April 2017 in Antofagasta, after a 12-year-old girl was seen with 15 cuts on her arm, which formed a "whale".[44] [45]

China

In May 2017, Tencent, China's largest Internet service portal, closed 12 suspicious Blue Whale-related network groups on its social networking platform QQ. It said that the number of this kind of groups is on the rise.[46] The search results of related keywords were also blocked.

Egypt

In April 2018, Egyptian news sources claimed a 12-year-old schoolboy had killed himself by taking poisonous tablets to fulfill one of the challenges of the game. According to the media, the schoolboy was found with a scar in the shape of a blue whale on his right arm. In reaction to the growing media awareness of the game, Egypt's Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah uploaded a video on their YouTube channel claiming that the game is forbidden in Islam, and warning against it.[47]

Germany

In 2017, a 13-year-old girl from Radevormwald, North Rhine-Westphalia was reported to have scratched a blue whale on her arm as part of the game. The game was allegedly found on her phone.[48]

India

Throughout 2017, media in India reported several cases of child suicide, self-harm and attempted suicide alleged to be a result of Blue Whale,[49] [50] [51] [52] and in response, the Indian government's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, requested that several internet companies (including Google, Facebook, and Yahoo!) remove all links which direct users to the game.[53] Some commentators accused the government of creating a moral panic. The Indian internet watchdog Centre for Internet and Society accused the coverage of effectively spreading and advertising a "game" for which there is little evidence.[53] The Supreme Court asked the Indian Central government to ban the game, following which the government responded that since Blue Whale wasn't an application, it couldn't be banned.[54] For a period of time several internet providers blocked Russian social network VKontakte over concerns about the "game" believed to originate on this Russian social network.[55]

Finally in January 2018, after a full investigation the government reported there was no evidence that any death was as a result of Blue Whale saying “The committee analysed the internet activities, device activities, call records and other social media activity, other forensic evidences and also interacted with rescued victims associated with these incidents. Involvement of Blue Whale challenge game in any of these incidents could not be established.”[56]

Iran

In September 2017, the Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology posted a message in his official Instagram account to warn parents and teachers about the spread of the Blue Whale challenge among Iranian teens.[57]

Italy

In Italy, press coverage of "Blue Whale" first appeared on 3 June 2016, in the newspaper La Stampa, which described the challenge as "a bad joke".[58] The debunking site BUTAC reported the total lack of evidence to affirm the game's existence. On 14 May 2017, a TV report by Le Iene about 'Blue Whale' on the national channel Italia 1[59] linked the challenge to an unconnected suicide in Livorno. The report showed several suicide scenes, mostly from videos on LiveLeak depicting adults unrelated to the challenge. It incorrectly described the footage as evidence of teenagers playing the game. The report interviewed a schoolmate of the Livorno teenager, two mothers of Russian girls who supposedly took part in the game, and the founder of the Russian Center for the safety of children from internet crimes. Following the report, coverage of the challenge in the Italian media increased, with many outlets describing it as real. There was a sharp rise in Google searches for the challenge, and some panic.

On 15 and 16 May, newspapers announced the arrest of Budeikin, without saying that it happened months before. His unconfirmed statements about his supposed victims being "genetical rubbish" were reported as real. Paolo Attivissimo, a journalist and debunker of hoaxes, described the game as "a death myth dangerously exaggerated by sensationalist journalism". Police received calls from terrified parents and teachers, and there were reports of teenagers taking part in the challenge. These included several cases of self-mutilation and attempted suicide. Most reports were considered to be false or exaggerated. Alleged participants were reported from all over Italy: Ravenna,[60] Brescia[61] and Siracusa.[62]

On May 22, 2017, the Polizia Postale stated they had received 40 reports. On May 24 they raised the number to 70. On its website the Polizia Postale defines Blue Whale as "a practice that seems to possibly come from Russia" and offers advice to parents and teenagers.[63] Several alleged cases have since been described by newspapers.[64]

Israel

In July 2020, the Israeli Child Online Protection Bureau had announced they are collaborating with TikTok to "eradicate the Blue Whale phenomenon".[65]

Kenya

Jamie Njenga, a 16-year-old boy who attended JG Kiereini Secondary School in Kiambu County, Kenya, hung himself with a rope from the balcony of his home, according to his grandfather John Njenga. He was reported to have played the game on his phone, which was seized by police following his suicide. This was the first suicide in Kenya to be linked to the game.[66] Because of this, the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) banned the game in Kenya, and wrote to all internet service providers (ISP) in Kenya and to numerous other major social media platforms and tech companies (including Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube) to ensure that all links to the game are blocked in Kenya.[6]

New Zealand

Although no suicides in New Zealand have been linked to the game, New Zealand Police have issued warnings about the game.[67]

Paraguay

A 22-year-old student, Federico Pedro Aguilera, was found dead with a stab wound to his chest in Coronel Bogado, Paraguay, with his death linked to the game. This was the first suicide in Paraguay to be linked to the game.[68]

Portugal

At least eight suicides in Portugal have been linked to the game, though many of the reports involved foreign individuals as opposed to Portuguese residents.[69]

Russia

In March 2017, authorities in Russia were investigating approximately 130 separate cases of suicide related to the phenomenon. In February a 15-year-old and 16-year-old threw themselves off the top of a 14-story building in Irkutsk, Siberia after completing 50 tasks sent to them. Before they killed themselves together, they left messages on their pages on social networks.[70] [71] Also in February, a 15-year-old was in critical condition after throwing herself out of an apartment and falling on snow-covered ground in the town of Krasnoyarsk, also in Siberia.[72]

On 26 May 2017, the Russian Duma passed a bill introducing criminal responsibility for creating pro-suicide groups on social media[73] and in June 2017, President Putin signed a law imposing criminal penalties for inducing minors to suicide.[74] The law imposes a maximum punishment of six years in prison.

Saudi Arabia

On July 15, 2018, the Saudi General Commission for Audio-Visual Media banned 47 video games, including Grand Theft Auto V, Assassin's Creed II and , that had online components that were alleged to be part of the Blue Whale game following the suicides of two teenagers that had been involved in it.[75]

Spain

In 2018, the first suicide in Spain allegedly linked to the game was reported, after a 14-year-old girl from Gipuzkoa, Basque Country committed suicide and acknowledged that she played the game. Although she initially did not intend to complete all 50 challenges (the last being to commit suicide), she ended up killing herself, stating that the perpetrators could be found "in Barcelona and in Argentina".[76]

Tunisia

On March 12, 2018, the parents of seven Tunisian children who claimed their children had killed themselves due to the game requested a ban on Blue Whale from the Tunisian courts. A trial court in Sousse issued an interim judgment prohibiting Blue Whale and another supposed similar game named "Miriam".[77] [78]

United States

Many schools in the United States have warned parents about the game, though the number of Americans reported to have committed suicide because of the game has been low.[79]

In 2017, a San Antonio teenager was found hanging dead at his home. Many observers, including family members, linked his suicide to the game. It was the first suicide in the United States to have been linked to the game. However, the San Antonio Police Department did not mention the game in its report of his suicide.[79]

Uruguay

In Uruguay, the game has been linked to suicides in at least six departments: Canelones, Colonia, Montevideo, Rio Negro, Rivera and Salto.[80]

Venezuela

In January 2019, a 15-year-old boy committed suicide at his home in Barinas State, Venezuela after allegedly playing the game.[81]

In popular culture

Several movies and TV series have adopted Blue Whale Challenge as a part of their storyline, including:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Blue Whale: Should you be worried about online pressure groups? . BBC News . 27 April 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170512031801/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-39729819 . 2017-05-12 .
  2. Web site: Teen 'Suicide Games' Send Shudders Through Russian-Speaking World. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 2017-06-23. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170620231939/https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-teen-suicide-blue-whale-internet-social-media-game/28322884.html. 2017-06-20.
  3. News: Mursaliyeva . Galina . 2016-05-16 . Группы смерти (18+) . ru . Death Groups (18+) . . live . 2023-08-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161003234505/https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2016/05/16/68604-gruppy-smerti-18 . 2016-10-03.
  4. Web site: FACT CHECK: 'Blue Whale' Game Responsible for Dozens of Suicides in Russia?. 27 February 2017. 13 June 2017.
  5. Web site: Egypt bans Blue Whale 'social media suicide game' .
  6. Web site: Kenya bans 'Blue Whale' game after teen commits suicide .
  7. Web site: Blue Whale and Momo challenge banned in Pakistan . 2 September 2018 .
  8. News: Blue whale game: Here's why experts think it is not possible to ban the Blue Whale Challenge - the Economic Times . The Economic Times . 6 August 2017 .
  9. Web site: Why banning Blue Whale game is not easy . 23 April 2018 .
  10. News: Not possible to block Blue Whale game, Centre tells Supreme Court . The Times of India . 15 June 2023 .
  11. News: Adeane . Ant . Blue Whale: What is the truth behind an online 'suicide challenge'? . BBC News . 13 January 2019 . 13 January 2019.
  12. Hempel. Jessi. Killing the Blue Whale Challenge. Wired. 25 September 2017.
  13. Web site: Moral Panic Du Jour: The 'Blue Whale Game' . Radford . Benjamin . Benjamin Radford. 2017-11-04 . Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) . https://web.archive.org/web/20170628071346/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/blue_whale_game . 2017-06-28.
  14. Web site: Palmer . Rob . Squaring the Skeptic with Celestia Ward (Part 2) . Skeptical Inquirer . 25 January 2019 . 27 January 2023.
  15. Web site: Police in Europe issue warning over 'Blue Whale' suicide challenge | Globalnews.ca .
  16. Web site: 2017-09-05 . Odisha Crime Branch Guidelines against Blue Whale . 2024-08-13 . odisha police department [odishapolicecidcb.gov.in].
  17. News: British police warn parents about blue whale 'game' reportedly linked to teenage deaths in Russia . The Straits Times . 5 May 2017 .
  18. Science and Engineering Ethics. 25. 285–291. Richa. Mukhra. Neha. Baryah. Kewal. Krishna. Tanuj. Kanchan. 10.1007/s11948-017-0004-2. 15 October 2021. 'Blue Whale Challenge': A Game or Crime?. 11 November 2017. 25 . 29129013 . 207344314 .
  19. Web site: Blue whale challenge administrator pleads guilty to inciting suicide - BBC Newsbeat. 2017-11-05. BBC Newsbeat. en-GB. 2017-06-23. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170621021838/http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/39882664/blue-whale-challenge-administrator-pleads-guilty-to-inciting-suicide. 2017-06-21.
  20. News: Биомусор. Новая газета - Novayagazeta.ru. 2017-06-23. ru-RU. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170623093657/https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2016/12/12/70868-biomusor. 2017-06-23. Biodegradable waste.
  21. Web site: Founder of Online 'Blue Whale' Suicide Group Sentenced. July 19, 2017. The Moscow Times. 25 September 2017.
  22. Web site: Radford. Benjamin. Benjamin Radford. The Arrest and Conviction of 'Blue Whale Game' Svengali Filipp Budeykin. Center for Inquiry. 10 January 2018. 11 January 2018.
  23. News: Bennetts. Marc. Russian postman lured teenagers into his Blue Whale internet suicide game. The Times. 25 September 2017.
  24. Web site: Russian held over 'blue whale' web game that pushes teens to suicide. Will Stewart. 19 June 2018. Evening Standard.
  25. Web site: 15-ամյա Հրաչյա Ներսիսյանի մահվան պատճառը «Синий кит» համակարգչային խաղն է. www.araratnews.am.
  26. Web site: Young . Nina . September 20, 2017 . I thought the blue whale challenge was fake - this week I changed my mind .
  27. Web site: Bangladesh ranks 3rd globally in looking up Blue Whale Challenge online Dhaka Tribune. Nawaz Farhin. October 12, 2017. www.dhakatribune.com. en-US. 2017-10-13.
  28. News: 'Blue Whale' game: Schoolboy hospitalised for taking antidepressants. The Daily Star. October 12, 2017. 2017-10-13. en.
  29. Web site: BRTC to probe 'Blue Whale' game: Minister. https://web.archive.org/web/20171016155152/http://en.ntvbd.com/bangladesh/149605/BRTC-to-probe-%E2%80%98Blue-Whale%E2%80%99-game:-Minister. 2017-10-16. 2017-10-16. October 16, 2017.
  30. Web site: Bangladesh telecom regulators asked to probe 'suicide game Blue Whale' . https://web.archive.org/web/20171012223934/https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/10/09/bangladesh-telecom-regulators-asked-to-probe-suicide-game-blue-whale. dead. 2017-10-12. bdnews24.com. 2017-10-12. 2017-10-16.
  31. Web site: BTRC launches helpline for raising Blue Whale awareness. https://web.archive.org/web/20171016163756/http://en.prothom-alo.com/science-technology/news/162561/BTRC-launches-helpline-for-Blue-Whale-awareness. dead. 2017-10-16. 2017-10-16. 2017-10-16.
  32. Web site: Dial 2872 to report 'suicidal Blue Whale game' to BTRC . https://web.archive.org/web/20171012223912/https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/10/10/dial-2872-to-report-suicidal-blue-whale-game-to-btrc. dead. 2017-10-12. bdnews24.com. 2017-10-12. 2017-10-16.
  33. Web site: Blue Whale: HC orders 6-month halt on special internet night packages . https://web.archive.org/web/20171016173419/https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/10/16/blue-whale-hc-orders-6-month-halt-on-special-internet-night-packages. dead. 2017-10-16. bdnews24.com. 2017-10-16. 2017-10-16.
  34. Web site: Bassette. Fernanda. O 'jogo' da baleia azul e a tragédia de Maria de Fátima VEJA.com. VEJA.com. 21 September 2017. pt-BR. The 'game' of the blue whale and the tragedy of Maria de Fatima.
  35. Web site: pt . Globo . G1 . 15-year-old girl disappears in Bahia and family suspects the ‘Blue Whale’ game . Garota de 15 anos desaparece na Bahia e família suspeita de jogo da 'Baleia Azul' . 19 April 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170421091603/http://g1.globo.com/bahia/noticia/garota-de-15-anos-desaparece-na-bahia-e-familia-suspeita-de-jogo-da-baleia-azul.ghtml . 2017-04-21 .
  36. Web site: Polícia diz que mãe impediu suicídio de filha que jogou 'Baleia Azul' no RJ. 20 April 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421201825/http://g1.globo.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/policia-confirma-que-adolescente-foi-vitima-do-jogo-baleia-azul.ghtml. 2017-04-21. Police say mother prevented suicide of daughter who played 'Blue Whale' in RJ.
  37. Web site: Página 'Baleia rosa' propõe desafios para combater jogo da 'Baleia azul'. 18 April 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170420211624/https://oglobo.globo.com/sociedade/pagina-baleia-rosa-propoe-desafios-para-combater-jogo-da-baleia-azul-21225218. 2017-04-20. Page 'Pink whale' proposes challenges to combat game of 'Blue whale'.
  38. Web site: Em reação à Baleia Azul, publicitários criam lista de 'tarefas do bem'. 18 April 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421005104/http://istoe.com.br/em-reacao-a-baleia-azul-publicitarios-criam-lista-de-tarefas-do-bem/. 2017-04-21. In reaction to the Blue Whale, advertisers create list of 'tasks of the good'.
  39. Web site: Em meio à polêmica do jogo Baleia Azul, curitibano lança o desafio da Capivara Amarela. 20 April 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421093225/http://g1.globo.com/pr/parana/noticia/apos-polemica-do-jogo-baleia-azul-curitibano-lanca-o-desafio-da-capivara-amarela.ghtml. 2017-04-21. Amid the controversy of the game Blue Whale, Curitiba launches the challenge of Yellow Capybara.
  40. Web site: Educadores fazem proposta de jogo contrária ao Baleia Azul. Novo Tempo. 13 June 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170731112108/http://novotempo.com/jornaldant/videos/escola-adventista-faz-proposta-de-jogo-contraria-ao-baleia-azul/. 31 July 2017. Educators make proposal of game contrary to the Blue Whale.
  41. Web site: Escolas de BH se mobilizam contra o jogo Baleia Azul. Estado de. Minas. 21 April 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170518150046/http://www.em.com.br/app/noticia/gerais/2017/04/21/interna_gerais%2C863901/escolas-de-bh-se-mobilizam-contra-o-jogo-baleia-azul.shtml. 18 May 2017. BH schools mobilize against the Blue Whale game.
  42. Web site: Delegacia do PI prepara cartilha para alertar sobre perigos do jogo 'Baleia Azul'. 21 April 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170422140847/http://g1.globo.com/pi/piaui/noticia/delegacia-do-pi-prepara-cartilha-para-alertar-sobre-perigos-do-jogo-baleia-azul.ghtml. 2017-04-22. PI Police prepares booklet to warn about dangers of the game 'Blue Whale'.
  43. Web site: Ecco chi ha fermato la bufala del Blue Whale in Bulgaria . 7 June 2017 .
  44. Web site: Denuncian en Antofagasta el primer caso de macabro juego "Ballena Azul" en Chile . 27 April 2017 .
  45. Web site: Primer caso del juego 'Ballena Azul' apareció en Antofagasta: Niña tiene 12 años . 26 April 2017 .
  46. http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0509/c90000-9213015.html "Tencent closes suspicious network groups on Russian ‘Blue Whale’ suicide game
  47. News: 12-year-old Egyptian schoolboy commits suicide to fulfill 'Blue Whale' challenge. Hend El-Behary. 2018-04-23. Egypt Independent. 2018-04-24. en-US.
  48. Web site: "Blue Whale": Mädchen in Radevormwald ritzt sich bei Suizid-"Spiel" Arm auf . 4 August 2017 .
  49. News: Blue Whale Challenge: At least 75 Whalers in Tamil Nadu's Madurai . 2017-09-01 . 2018-08-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180805112759/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2017/sep/01/blue-whale-challenge-at-least-75-whalers-in-tamil-nadus-madurai-1651006--1.html . dead .
  50. News: Blue Whale Challenge: Indore boy noted tasks in school diary before trying to kill self . 11 August 2017 . The Financial Express . 11 August 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170811222347/http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/blue-whale-challenge-indore-boy-noted-tasks-in-school-diary-before-trying-to-kill-self/803991/ . 11 August 2017 .
  51. News: Blue Whale Challenge: Class VI student hangs himself to death . 28 August 2017 . Zee News . 28 August 2017 .
  52. News: Blue whale game claims one more life in Madhya Pradesh. The Indian Express. September 3, 2017. September 5, 2017.
  53. Web site: Worley. Will. Blue Whale: Fears in India over 'viral suicide game' mount as 'government calls for internet giants to ban links to it'. The Independent. 19 September 2017. 25 September 2017.
  54. News: 'Can't ban app-based games like Blue Whale', Centre tells Supreme Court. November 21, 2017. Times of India. 5 August 2018.
  55. Web site: Russian social network VKontakte temporarily blocked in India for Blue Whale threat | India News - Times of India. September 12, 2017. Times of India. 19 February 2021.
  56. News: No evidence of any death due to Blue Whale challenge game: Govt.. The Hindu. 3 January 2018. 11 January 2018.
  57. News: واکنش وزیر ارتباطات ایران به بازی چالش نهنگ آبی و خطر آن برای نوجوانان. The reaction of the Minister of Communications of Iran to the challenge of the Blue Whale and its danger to teens. 2017-09-07. euronews. 2017-10-22. fa.
  58. News: Istigazioni "social" al suicidio, panico in Russia per le chat della morte. Ma è solo un brutto scherzo. Zafesova. Anna. 3 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170819103244/http://www.lastampa.it/2016/06/03/esteri/istigazioni-social-al-suicidio-panico-in-russia-per-le-chat-della-morte-ma-solo-un-brutto-scherzo-dzBnaSVaFsDCQ6SX08kiyN/pagina.html?zanpid=2307028296409797632. 2017-08-19. live. "Social" instigations to suicide, panic in Russia for death chats. But it's just a bad joke .
  59. Web site: Il Blue Whale game e il giornalismo. Maicolengel. 9 March 2017. www.quotidiano.net. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170516222012/http://www.iene.mediaset.it/puntate/2017/05/14/viviani-blue-whale-suicidarsi-per-gioco_11243.shtml. 16 May 2017. The Blue Whale game and journalism. 6 June 2017.
  60. News: Blue Whale a Ravenna, salvata 14enne. 28 May 2017. Ansa. https://web.archive.org/web/20170602214405/http://www.lastampa.it/2017/06/02/italia/cronache/nuovi-sospetti-casi-di-blue-whale-due-ragazzi-salvati-a-siracusa-e-nel-barese-BME0wBLLh0Wq0phr9b0YGL/pagina.html. 2017-06-02. live. Blue Whale in Ravenna, saved 14 year old.
  61. Web site: Blue Whale, il gioco della morte arriva a Brescia. Cos'è, le regole e come riconoscere le vittime. 2 June 2017. BsNews.it. https://web.archive.org/web/20170606035423/http://www.bsnews.it/2017/06/02/blue-whale-brescia-regole-vittime/. 2017-06-06. live. Blue Whale, the game of death arrives in Brescia. What is it, the rules and how to recognize the victims.
  62. Web site: Nuovi sospetti casi di "Blue Whale", due ragazzi salvati a Siracusa e nel Barese. 2 June 2017. La Stampa. https://web.archive.org/web/20170602214405/http://www.lastampa.it/2017/06/02/italia/cronache/nuovi-sospetti-casi-di-blue-whale-due-ragazzi-salvati-a-siracusa-e-nel-barese-BME0wBLLh0Wq0phr9b0YGL/pagina.html. 2017-06-02. live. New suspected cases of "Blue Whale", two boys saved in Syracuse and in Bari.
  63. Web site: Blue Whale: consigli . 22 May 2017 . commissariatodips.it . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170525140834/https://www.commissariatodips.it/notizie/articolo/blue-whale-consigli.html . 25 May 2017 . Blue Whale: tips . 6 June 2017 .
  64. Web site: La blue whale arriva nel Napoletano: la Procura di Torre Annunziata apre un'inchiesta . Dario Sautto . 26 May 2017 . www.ilmattino.it . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170818165121/http://gadgets.ndtv.com/social-networking/news/blue-whale-challenge-government-directs-google-facebook-to-remove-links-1738080 . 18 August 2017 . The blue whale arrives in the Neapolitan area: the Procura di Torre Annunziata opens an investigation .
  65. Web site: The TikTok app and the 105 hotline collaborate on eradicating the "Blue Whale" phenomenon.
  66. Web site: Teenager kills himself after online game .
  67. Web site: NZ police warn of 'suicide game' app . December 2023 .
  68. Web site: La Nación / "Ballena Azul" se cobró 1ra. Víctima en Paraguay .
  69. Web site: Pelo menos oito vítimas do desafio Baleia Azul identificadas em Portugal . 4 May 2017 .
  70. Web site: Jogo em rede social russa leva adolescentes a cometer suicídio - Mundo - iG. pt. 7 April 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170422135705/http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/mundo/2017-04-07/suicidio.html. 22 April 2017. Game in Russian social network leads teenagers to commit suicide.
  71. Web site: Teenagers are taking their own lives 'because of social media game blue whale'. Richard . Hartley-Parkinson. 28 February 2017. Metro.co.uk. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170422134154/http://metro.co.uk/2017/02/28/teenagers-are-taking-their-own-lives-as-a-result-of-social-media-game-called-blue-whale-6477787/. 22 April 2017.
  72. Web site: Jogo em rede social russa leva centenas de jovens ao suicídio, segundo suspeita da polícia - Notícias - R7 Internacional. 31 March 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170422212241/http://noticias.r7.com/internacional/jogo-em-rede-social-russa-leva-centenas-de-jovens-ao-suicidio-segundo-suspeita-da-policia-31032017. 2017-04-22. Russian social networking game leads hundreds of young people to suicide, police suspect. pt.
  73. Web site: Russian lawmakers vote to ban pro-suicide social media groups. 13 June 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170530155215/http://www.calvertjournal.com/news/show/8344/russian-lawmakers-vote-to-ban-pro-suicide-social-media-groups. 30 May 2017.
  74. Web site: Putin signs law imposing criminal penalties for inducing minors to suicide. 13 June 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170712053450/http://tass.com/politics/950358. 12 July 2017.
  75. Web site: Saudi Arabia bans many video games after children's deaths . July 15, 2018 . July 16, 2018 . .
  76. Web site: La Fiscalía recoge el primer caso de suicidio por la 'ballena azul' de una joven en Euskadi . 12 September 2019 .
  77. News: Les jeux " La baleine bleue " et " Mariam " désormais interdits en Tunisie. Webdo.tn. March 6, 2018. The games "Blue whale" and "Mariam" now banned in Tunisia. fr.
  78. Web site: "الحوت الأزرق".. يسبب انتحار تلميذة هي الضحية 7 في تونس. arabi21. March 12, 2018. 5 August 2018. ar. "Blue Whale" .. Suicide of a student is victim 7 in Tunisia.
  79. Web site: "Blue Whale Challenge" urges young people to end their lives - CBS News . . 12 July 2017 .
  80. Web site: Ya suman 7 las víctimas en 6 departamentos por el siniestro juego de "La Ballena Azul" . 2 March 2024 .
  81. Web site: Un adolescente murió en Vargas luego de cumplir el reto de la Ballena Azul. 16 January 2019 .
  82. Web site: Debnath . Neela . Black Mirror season 3 Shut Up and Dance explained: What happened in ep . Express.co.uk . 2020-05-28 . 2023-09-30.
  83. Web site: Jogo da Baleia Azul será abordado em a Força do Querer .
  84. Web site: ಚಿತ್ರ ವಿಮರ್ಶೆ: ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಾಟ . . kn.
  85. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51370821 Ukraine's teen bullying drama that shattered taboos and stirred a nation
  86. Web site: Selección oficial de la edición 42 del Festival de Cine de La Habana . . es . 19 November 2020.
  87. Web site: Maca . Tomáš . Sexuální násilníci jsou pranýřováni právem. Už obvinění vás ale zničí, varuje režisér Aktuálně.cz . Aktuálně.cz . 15 August 2023 . cs . 13 August 2023.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Blue Whale Challenge".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.