Monitor kids’ mobile phone usage activity to keep them away from Blue Whale: Goa Police

Panaji: Goa police have issued an advisory for parents to parents on how to tackle the ‘Blue Whate’ menace spreading across the globe. The deadly game, allegedly invented in Russia, has claimed several young lives. The advisory states: “Use parental control softwares. It allows you to see all keyboard strokes made on your child’s device. So if a child gets a challenge to do something harmful, they will Google how to do that and you can catch it right away.Monitor your child’s search history and get useful insights. They will help you see their state of a mind,” the advisory says.
Parents have been asked to constantly monitor the mobile phones of their children including text messages, call logs, search history, and communication via social media sites. They have also been advised to limit their children’s usage of apps and block sites that may promote dangerous activities.
The advisory also asks parents to keep a close watch on any change in their child’s behaviour. “Children who have entered the game might have depression or may have had suicidal thoughts. Recognize changes in your child’s behaviour that may point out depression or any other mental problem,” states the advisory.
Parents have been advised to talk to their kids about the game and ask if they have heard about this at school. “If you hear this game is being spread at your child’s school, ring alarm bells and raise awareness among teachers and parents,” it states.
The game, created by Philipp Budeikin, targets children, encouraging them to harm themselves. The game is linked to the deaths of more than 100 young people around the world. In this game, kids are encouraged to take on 50 different challenges.
“Each challenge becomes more dangerous than the last. In order to win this game, the final challenge is to commit suicide. When kids accept the game, the administrator gets some personal information from them. In case children want to leave or terminate the challenge earlier, the administrator threatens them with exposure or harm to their family,” states the advisory.