The only way to win the challenge is to die by suicide. Among the hashtags associated with this game include #BlueWhaleChallenge, #CuratorFindMe and #I_Am_Whale.
The Massillon City School District warned parents Thursday that several students and parents have notified school officials that a dangerous social media game called The Blue Whale Challenge, or the Blue Whale Game, may have been introduced to students in the area.
Players are recruited to the game by being tagged on social media – primarily on Snapchat – and directed to download an app called "After School" or "Blue Whale Challenge."
An anonymous “group administrator,” known as the “the curator,” then hands out 50 challenges to the players that must be completed, documented and posted during a 50-day period. At first, the tasks seem innocuous but they become increasingly more harmful, such as players asked to wake up at unusual hours to watch disturbing videos, self-cut in the shape of a whale and take selfies while hanging off the highest rooftop they can find.
The only way to “win” the Blue Whale Challenge is to die by suicide.
To prevent players from withdrawing from the challenge, the “curator” threatens to blackmail and harm them and their families. The app, which cannot be deleted, can reportedly hack into a player’s personal information.
The Ohio Department of Education has advised parents to initiate conversations on the topic with their children by sharing the dangers of online challenges, encouraging them not to follow the crowd and not to feel pressured into doing anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
The department also recommends that parents monitor their children’s social media activities. Hashtags linked to the Blue Whale Challenge include: #BlueWhaleChallenge, #CuratorFindMe and #I_Am_Whale.