Blue Whale Challenge: How Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp can stop the menace

Given the speed at which the world wide web has evolved to include people into communities where they feel part of something ‘real’ makes it surprising that the Blue Whale Challenge took so long to come to the fore.

We already know that the internet and especially social media has a great power to influence minds; we already know that there are a number of lonely, depressed teenagers the world over; and we already know as the cliche goes that world is web connected. It was thus just a matter of time before some person linked these three factors to issue the challenge, ‘Do what I say or die’ and it has happened.

Now that it has happened what can we a society do about it. The answer seems to be practically nothing. Despite the articles in the media about bringing people together, the fact is that parents, administrators, in short practically anyone, are powerless to stop you from viewing anything.

If you wish to see a sadistic porn video online you can; if you wish to see an ISIS execution of a hostage online you can; if you wish to hunt down and track the Blue Whale game you can and will. No parenting, no bans by the state, no so called monitoring of social media can help you stop that. It’s as futile as the government’s bid to block porn websites some time ago.

Once we have got that fact out of the way, the questions now remains to be asked is what can we do. While some people have talked about counselling this is not really an answer — a potential suicide victim rarely give an indication that he or she is about to commit suicide. As a result, the options offline — as far as these teenagers are concerned — are limited and when help does come it is usually at the last stage.

As a result, the answer, or part of it, lies online. Already social media is doing or trying to do its bit to save us from ourselves. For instance, if one types in ‘I want to kill myself’on Google one gets a list of suicide helplines; Facebook too throws up a list of helpline groups should you type the same. That’s encouraging but that deals with the problem in a manner that is not likely to appeal to teens — textual.

Why is text a problem? Think about it. If you were a teenager would you be likely to text type for help to a number of strangers, in an era where livestreaming of one’s final moments to a loved one is becoming the norm among teenagers. No. So the solution, or part of solution lies in ‘visual aids.’

What exactly ‘visual aids’ means here is difficult to quantify and even more difficult to put into practice. But there are some steps that we as a society can take. For instance can Facebook, Twitter and social mediums collate your happiest memories and present them in a virtual visual album? Possible. Can an app be created which records, livestreams and records your happiest moments to your nearest and dearest ones? Again possible. Can WhatApp — one of the most powerful tools of communication — put in an application whereby you are asked to make a video recording speaking warmly about a person you know. Can be done. That video can be sent not just not the person but to the people he considers close to him creating a layer of positivity and self worth.

Finally, there is the 'friend option.' Those worried about depressed friends must be empowered by technology to help do something for them. A possibility could be that those people — who are selected by the user as especially close — are alerted or pinged by social media sites should he or she venture into a suicide media forum.

The last step is a very grey area as it involves the right to privacy. Also, speaking about the other suggestions, a number of the ‘visual aids’ mentioned here are not foolproof, and a great deal of debate and practice will have to take place as to how they should be implemented. But just thinking along these lines can help powerful technology tools empower teenagers to realise their lives do not comprise of finishing challenges to a dangerous and evil game. If we do manage to achieve that, the threat of Blue Whale and possible future avatars can be nullified.