SC to Govt: Set up panel to block games like Blue Whale

Supreme Court (File)

Taking serious note of life-threatening online games like Blue Whale, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the government to set up a panel of experts to block them. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra also sought the government’s response on a plea seeking to firewall similar games like Choking game, Salt and Ice Challenge, Fire Challenge, Cutting challenge, Eyeball challenge and Human Embroidery game.

Giving the Centre time till October 27 to reply, the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, restrained all High Courts from further entertaining proceedings in similar pleas. The petitioner Advocate Sneha Kalita had requested the court to issue directions to intermediaries, particularly network service providers, internet service providers, Web Hosting Service Providers and cyber cafes to observe due diligence and take steps to inform all users of computer resources “not to host, display, upload and share any virtual digital game which is grossly harmful and life threatening and morally degrading.”

Besides putting in place technical safeguards to ensure that “life threatening and morally degrading” material doesn’t reach Indian shores, she also sought direction to the Ministry of Women and Child Development to take precautions to prevent youngsters from falling into the trap of such games. The apex court is already hearing a petition filed by a man from Tamil Nadu seeking ban on the Blue Whale challenge, which has been blamed for deaths of several children across the world.