Can’t block blue whale, parents must keep eye on kids: Government

The Central government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it was technically not possible to block violent, self-destructive games such as blue whale. Instead, the court directed parents and teachers to keep a sharp eye on children for signs of depression which makes them fall prey to such online games.

Blue whale is an online game in which an unknown curator draws lonely, vulnerable youth to play self-destructive and violent games which may lead to the youth getting brainwashed to end his life. The game has been recently blamed for a spate of deaths in India.

A PIL was filed, drawing the court’s attention to the problem, prompting the court to ask the government to explore ways to raise awareness among the populace and take steps to prevent youth from falling prey to online predators who take advantage of youth who are lonely and frustrated.

Attorney General for India KK Venugopal said a high-level committee set up by the government could not establish the involvement of the blue whale game in the recent deaths.

He said the government had issued guidelines through the HRD Ministry to educational institutions to keep an eye out for children who show signs of depression. “Parents also have a responsibility to watch their kids and see what they access on the net,” he said.

The AG urged the media not to blow up every depression-related death as a victim of the blue whale game. “No one knows if the game is a reality or media hype,” he said.

“More debate may lead to more deaths,” he said. More and more youth may choose to play the game out of curiosity, he added.