Blue Whale Challenge: PIL in Delhi HC seeks removal of online game links

Popularity of online game of Blue Whale Challenge forced govt to issue directions to internet giants

A PIL was on Wednesday moved in Delhi High Court seeking directions to internet companies like Google, Facebook and Yahoo to take down the links of 'Blue Whale', a challenge-based suicide game that has been allegedly linked to deaths of several children worldwide.

The petition was mentioned before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shanker, which listed it for hearing tomorrow.

Citing deaths of children in India and abroad, advocate Gurmeet Singh, who filed the petition, sought immediate directions to restrain the internet majors from uploading any material pertaining to the Blue Whale Challenge.
 

He also sought direction to the Delhi Police to appoint a special team comprising at least five members to oversee whether the internet companies comply with the court's direction.

The sudden popularity of the lethal online game - Blue Whale Challenge, in which the final task requires the player to commit suicide, has forced the government to issue directions to the internet giants to remove the links to the dangerous game.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Electronics and IT had directed the internet majors - Google, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo - to immediately remove the links of the deadly Blue Whale Challenge, which has led several children in India and other countries to commit suicide.

The Blue Whale Challenge is reportedly a suicide game in which the player is given certain tasks to complete for a period of 50 days and the final task leads to committing suicide. The player is also asked to share photos after finishing the challenge.

The petition said "there are so many children and people being adversely affected by this menace namely Blue Whale Challenge and they do not even know that the same will cost their lives and their families will suffer heavily. All citizens of India will be benefitted if the said menace is stopped."

More than six children across India in the age group of 12-19 years have taken their lives playing this game within a span of two weeks.

Deaths of teenagers have been reported from other countries including Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile and Italy, the PIL said.