Daily Times

Curiosity and technology are big weaknesses for anyone in today’s world — and both together can be fatal, which is exactly what the new “suicide game” Blue Whale is basing its hunt on. Developed as a mobile application, this game targets teenagers with low self-esteem, enabling a ‘curator’ to take them through a series of tasks — the last of which ultimately takes their life.

Deaths attributed to this game have reached a count as high as 130 suicides in Russia alone, and quite recently a couple of cases have been registered in Khyber Pakhtukhwa as well. Blue Whale seemed a sham to many, and people continuously contested the legitimacy of claims made against the game. However, according to a report published by a local newspaper, a psychiatrist at Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) confirmed two such cases from Mardan registered with him.

There is an ever-prevalent thug mentality in our society; we often call this resilience, but it is not. It is just the belief that nothing can touch us: whether it be Blue Whale or one-wheeling on a busy road, we will escape unscathed

There are, however, loopholes in this alleged suicide game and it’s popular accounts. Apparently, the game is not available online on Google Play store or the Apple store, yet there are people who have been downloading this game to “check” the authenticity for themselves and then being inevitably caught in its vicious task list. Secondly, a pertinent question to ask is how do the curators of this game target their audience? Apparently, a malicious link is sent to WhatsApp, which if clicked on, automatically starts installing the Blue Whale game on your device.  Does this mean that the curators already have access to your records? And since it is only sent to those who have a history of mental illnesses, are the curators tracking internet activities to pinpoint those with symptoms of mental illnesses?

There is an ever-prevalent “thug” mentality in our society, we often call this resilience but it is not. It is just the belief that nothing can touch us, that whether it be Blue Whale or one-wheeling on a busy road, we will escape unscathed. A pressing issue with our youth today is the need to seek adrenaline and put lives, including their own, at risk. Blue Whale was sensational when it spread, its popularity caught like wildfire making it a known threat to many. People pursued the game to prove their friends wrong or for the sake of adventure. This attitude towards something that can have such reprehensible effects is not just distasteful but also portrays an irresponsible attitude towards others.

Secondly, the fact that the threat of Blue Whale is only directed towards those with an already vulnerable mental state screams of the need to regulate the spread and sharing of unsolicited links. It is imperative that no report or cry for help is disregarded until and unless there is full assurance that this game or application is indeed not a scam. Moreover, the fact that this is not just a local threat but is becoming a global epidemic calls from assistance from other countries that are affected. There is a need to jointly address this issue, whether it is to put an end to a scam or to deal with a life-threatening mobile application.

The writer graduated from Northwestern University in Qatar and is currently an Assistant Editor at Daily Times

Published in Daily Times, September 19^th 2017.