The DMK today urged the Centre to take immediate steps to "arrest the accessibility" of social media "game" Blue Whale Challenge to children, after it allegedly claimed the life of a teenager in Tamil Nadu.
DMK working president and opposition leader M K Stalin wrote to Union ministers for home and telecom, Rajnath Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad, respectively, expressing concern over the "dangerous situation."
"It was startling to note that the wild influence of the game is so pervasive that a 19-year-old man from Madurai had recently committed suicide while reportedly undertaking the challenges of this despicable game," he said.
"It is painful to note that a digital game is emotionally influencing the minds of the youngsters and killing their future dreams ruthlessly," Stalin said.
The DMK leader said though the Centre has already taken a "welcome step" by directing Internet majors -- Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo -- to immediately remove the links of the challenge, it was still "occupying the field and endangering the lives" of children.
"I request you to initiate immediate steps to arrest the accessibility of this suicide game from various platforms of the social media networks and protect children," he said.
A 19-year-old man from Madurai had committed suicide while playing Blue Whale Challenge, a "game" involving a number of tasks which have to be completed by the player in 50 days. It ends in the person committing suicide.
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