The Blue Whale challenge is occupying more mind space than any other online game in recent memory. So what exactly is it? We take you on a deep dive.
Let us get straight to the point. First of all, unlike what most people think, it is not a downloadable game, app or software .
INVENTOR: The Blue Whale killer challenge was developed by a Russian psychology student, Philipp Budeikin. He was expelled from his university and said in a statement that he invented the game to ‘clean’ the society of people who are of no value.
Another 17-year old Russian girl has been detained recently as she is accused of being the ‘mastermind’ behind the game. Earlier a participant herself, she is known to be responsible for introducing the 50 challenges which instruct the players to self-harm.
WHY THE NAME? Blue Whale name comes from the fact that blue whales occasionally beach themselves intentionally and die.
HOW IS IT PLAYED? An online administrator gives the player challenges over a period of 50 days. After completion of every task, the player is expected to share photo as proof for approval. The first few challenges are easy but the subsequent ones turn sinister, challenging you to hurt yourself. They are meant to condition you to ultimately commit suicide. The tasks are ‘adaptable’ and are tweaked by the curator as per the geographical location of the player.
Although there is no clear set of 50 challenges, given below is the list of the likely tasks that are given to the participant. These were shared by someone on Reddit. As said earlier, the task may vary for participants depending on the player’s geographical location. It could even change according to the player’s age and sex. To be honest, it could even depend on the whims of the administrator.
1. On your arm, carve ‘f57’ (name of death and suicide group in Russia) with a blade.
2. Wake up at 4:20 am and watch scary videos.
3. Cut your arm along with your veins (not deep), only three cuts.
4. Draw a whale on a piece of paper.
5. If you’re ready to ‘become a whale’, you write “yes” with the blade on your leg, if not, you have to cut yourself many times (as a punishment).
6. Task is in code.
7. On your arm, carve ‘f40’ (another Russian death and suicide group) with a blade.
8. Write in the status #I_am_Whale.
9. You should overcome your fear.
10. Get up at 4:20 am and go to the roof.
11. It is necessary to scratch out a whale on the hand (or make a drawing on the hand).
12. Watch scary videos the whole day.
13. Listen to music that they send to you.
14. Cut your lip.
15. Poke the needle arm.
16. Hurt yourself.
17. Go to the highest roof you can find and stand on the edge.
18. Go to a bridge and stand on the edge.
19. Climb on a crane or at least try.
20. Curators check if you are trustworthy.
21. Talk with another ‘whale’ (someone else who is also playing the same game) on Skype.
22. Sit down on the edge of a roof with your feet dangling.
23. Another task in a code.
24. Secret task.
25. Meet with a ‘whale’.
26. Curator tells you the date of your death and you must accept it.
27. Wake up at 4:20 am and go to any railroad in your area.
28. Do not talk with anyone.
29. Take an oath that you’re a whale.
30-49. Every day you wake up at 4:20 am, watch scary videos, listen to music that they send, make cuts on your body each day and talk to a ‘whale’.
50. Jump off a high roof and take your life.
WHO IS THE JUDGE? The admins control the challenges. People have tried to use photo-shopped images as proofs, but the perception is that they cannot be fooled. One reporter from a European Radio station tried it and was caught out and they stopped communicating with him.
HOW DO THEY FIND YOU? You cannot find the admin or download. The admins find you. They generally scour the internet and ferret out those who are depressed or have displayed other psychological traits that make them vulnerable, or ideal targets, to be contacted. These could be looking at target’s public profile, Instagram and other social posts, etc. The curator or admins also seek out people from death groups and suicide squads on VK.com aka Vkontakte, the largest online social media and network in Russia.
All efforts by us to locate the game generated no results.
WHY CAN’T YOU STOP MIDWAY? Theory is that once they admit you as a player, you have to accept a cookie and that gives them access to your entire data online. And this data is the lever they have to blackmail anyone who wants to back out. Cases abound of the admins blackmailing and cyber bullying such individuals into completing all tasks. They threaten to hurt their family or reveal all his personal data online.
WHY CAN’T THE ‘GAME’ BE BLOCKED? First up, it is far from a game. There is not a single person or unit who is managing it. As the inventors of the game have been put behind the bars, many wonder how the game is still spreading. It is simply because of the various mirror games that have now been created and are carried over by many curators who are spread far and wide. The police and law enforcement authorities worldwide are at their wits end trying to block access to the ‘game’
It is so scattered and decentralized that banning it is not possible. Tracking the IP addresses of the curators has also not yielded desirable results so far.
IS THE GAME KNOWN BY OTHER NAMES? Yes, there are several other names that are used. With the name Blue Whale getting blocked from across social media platforms, there are other names of the game that have originated. These names include ‘A Silent House’, ‘A Sea of Whales’, ‘Wake Me Up At 4.20 am’.
SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR: Celebrity psychologist Seema Hingorrany is getting multiple queries from parents. “They are scared, especially parents who are getting their kids treated for ADHD and video game addiction.” Below are signs that parents can keep an eye on:
– A recent tendency in the child to stay aloof
– Any changes in diet or sleep pattern of child
– Any cuts or wounds on the body
– Staying up at night around 4:20 am
The children who may be more prone to Blue Whale challenge are those who may talk about running away from home or about death in general.
