Supreme Court: Run Blue Whale warning film

The Supreme Court on Friday directed state-run television network Doordarshan to use it prime time slot to broadcast programming warning viewers of the dangers of the so-called Blue Whale Challenge that has claimed a number of lives across the country.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has given the national broadcaster a week's time in which to prepare its material. The next hearing has been set for November 20.

The Blue Whale Challenge essentially goads players into carrying out a series of tasks, the final one being suicide.

"The idea behind the programme is to make parents and children aware of the dangers of online games like Blue Whale. The message of the programme should be that children should not be trapped by the game. There are children who are lonely and frustrated. Definitely, visuals will have more impact," Chief Justice Misra noted.

The court made its observations while hearing a petition filed by advocate Sneha Kalita who sought immediate measures to ban/block all sites linked to the Blue Whale online game and other similar games.

The apex court has also asked DD to consult with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Human Resource Development, and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry while preparing its programming.

In a bid to increase the reach of the programming, the bench, which included Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, directed the "competent authority" to explore the possibility of doing so on private channels, as well as on other platforms.

While explaining the dangers of the game, Senior Advocate Vijay Hansaria outlined the various steps – 50 in all – that culminate in the player's suicide.