Online challenges that endanger children are spreading rapidly

In the NMHH's statement sent to MTI on Thursday, it was written that the child protection internet roundtable, which acts as an advisory body to the authority's president, on Wednesday dealt with the dangers of online challenges, the possibilities of curbing them and the importance of increasing parental awareness.

It was emphasized that the spread of online challenges is not only inherent in the online space and social services, but is increasingly part of the specific socialization of the young age group, especially teenagers. However, a truly significant danger has become the online challenges that have been spreading like a trend in recent years, with increasing physical and mental danger, resulting in self-harm or even death.

The literature basically distinguishes between dangerous and harmless virtual challenges. The former include such dangerous and even deadly challenges as the Blue Whale, Cinnamon, Car Surf, Kiki, Benadryl, Blackout, Washing Capsule, Eraser, and the Ice and Salt Challenge.

They recalled that one of the first and revolutionary challenges - which was already widespread in Hungary - was the Ice Bucket challenge in 2014. The challenge originally tried to draw attention to ALS diseases and was aimed at raising money.

However, the challenges did not stop at the good causes, but went towards the dangers. They indicated that online challenges - in addition to often being a means of strengthening relationships between peers - can also generate physical or psychological danger.

According to the opinion of the Child Protection Internet Roundtable, the most dangerous effect of these challenges may be intentional self-harm or temporary or permanent deterioration of health.

The NMHH mentioned as an example that this was the case with the Cinnamon Challenge, which also appears in Hungary, in which the participants consume a large amount of cinnamon. However, inhaling cinnamon can cause pneumonia and damage and scarring of the airways. One recurring example of cases ending in collateral self-harm or death is the Blackout challenge that emerged around 2008 and became popular again in 2021 on the social media site TikTok. The task in this case was to hold the breath until unconsciousness occurs. Death by suffocation can occur as a result of prolonged oxygen deprivation, especially in children. The Train Selfie aimed to take pictures taken on top of stationary trains, this challenge has ended in tragedy in several cases in Hungary this year - they warned.

The challenges can also cause serious emotional damage - they continued - so in addition to or in addition to self-harm, they can cause fear, depression and post-traumatic stress among children. The spread of online challenges was also greatly facilitated by social media, they wrote, adding that it was necessary to act against the challenges causing more and more danger and death.

Most of the social media sites with a large reach have changed their community guidelines and announced a stricter action against this kind of content - the NMHH indicated.

After the spread of the Blackout challenge, which claimed lives, TikTok announced that new content moderation tools and hashtag checking and filtering technology would be introduced for the safety of children - reminded the NMHH, also emphasizing the need to increase parental awareness.

"It is in our common interest for parents to recognize when their child is in trouble, so that he or she participates in trending online challenges that endanger their physical integrity or mental health. To this end, they must be aware of new online trends and provide assistance in avoiding, interpreting and in the early detection of harmful effects," reads the announcement.

(Source: marmalade.co.hu; gamerguru.co.hu; MTI | Image: pixabay.com)