Colombo, May 5 (NIA) – Sri Lanka’s Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has warned parents to be vary of their children’s internet movements following allegations that the Blue Whale Suicide game had claimed the lives of several children around the world.
An official attached to CERT told NewsIn.Asia that CERT has been monitoring all the media reports which had been published in recent months on the Blue Whale suicide challenge, and urged parents in Sri Lanka to monitor their children’s internet movements.
“While investigators around the world have not been able to link any suicides directly to the game, we urge the children and parents to stay away from dangerous groups on the internet. Each one must know what is good and bad and what is bad, should be avoided,” the official said.
While there had been no official complaints lodged against the game to CERT, the official said CERT had been following the media reports regarding the game.
Panic has spread in many countries globally after reports alleged that several teen suicides may have been linked to the Blue Whale suicide challenge which requires a player to end their lives in order to win the game.
The game is said to have originated from Russia and may now be finding its way around the globe.
According to Yahoo News, the Blue Whale reportedly targets players between 10 and 14 years old, pushing them into completing a list of pained daily tasks such as waking up in the middle of the night, cutting shapes into their skin or contemplating death.
As the game progresses over several weeks, participants reach a final task – committing suicide.
The game that has been spreading online among teens has led to warnings from police across Europe and Russia, Central Asia and North and South America.
According to media reports and investigations, the game involves players being given a master that will control them and make them do tasks every day for 50 days.
Some of the tasks that are being carried out include such as waking up in the middle of the night to scratching a blue whale somewhere on their body.
‘On the 50th day the masters behind the game instruct the young people to commit suicide and sadly across the world some have done this,’ reports said.
According to the Sun, Philip Budeikin, the inventor of the game, was arrested in late 2016 in Russia.
At the time of his arrest, he said: “Yes, I did… and they died happy. I gave them what they do not have in real life: comprehension, communication and warmth.”
