What is the Blue Whale suicide challenge?

Cops fear vulnerable youngsters are being swayed to take their own lives through sick social media accounts.

BLUE Whale is a twisted suicide challenge which appears to goad vulnerable teens into killing themselves.

The horrifyingly dangerous game has been linked to at least 130 teen deaths across Russia and police in the UK have now started warning parents about the challenge.

THE SIBERIAN TIMES
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Tragic schoolgirl Yulia Konstantinova, 15, posted this picture of a blue whale on Instagram shortly before jumping to her death
What is the Blue Whale online suicide game?

The Blue Whale suicide game is believed to be a social media group which is encouraging people to kill themselves.

There are hundreds of thousands of posts relating to the sick trend on Instagram.

It's thought a group administrator assigns daily tasks to members, which they have to complete over 50 days.

The horrific tasks include self-harming, watching horror movies and waking up at unusual hours, but these gradually get more extreme.

On the 50th day, the controlling manipulators behind the game reportedly instruct the youngsters to commit suicide.

The NSPCC say children should remember not to follow the crowd and not feel pressured into doing anything that makes them feel unsafe.

A spokesperson said: “Children can find it difficult to stand up to peer pressure but they must know it’s perfectly okay to refuse to take part in crazes that make them feel unsafe or scared.

“Parents should talk with their children and emphasise that they can make their own choices and discuss ways of how to say no.

“Reassuring a child that they can still be accepted even if they don’t go along with the crowd will help stop them doing something that could hurt them or make them uncomfortable.”

FOR KIDS: How to say no
It can sometimes be hard to stand up to your friends, so Childline offers the following tips on how to say no:1) Say it with confidence:
Be assertive. It’s your choice and you don’t have to do something which makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.2) Try not to judge them:
By respecting their choices, they should respect yours.3) Spend time with friends who can say ‘no’:
It takes confidence and courage to say no to your friends. Spend time with other friends who also aren’t taking part.4) Suggest something else to do:
If you don’t feel comfortable doing what your friends are doing, suggest something else to do.Any child worried about peer pressure or online worries can contact Childline on 0800 1111.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, the Samaritans can be contacted on 020 7734 2800

Is Blue Whale in the UK?

Essex Police informed a school in Basildon about the Blue Whale challenge and the headteacher wrote to parents about it.

The letter, sent by Woodlands School in Basildon, was seen by Essex Live and read: "We have discovered a game through the police that we feel you should be aware of.

"It is called The Blue Whale Game and is played via many social media platforms."

No deaths in Britain have been linked to the game, but police officers have posted online warnings to parents.

Devon and Cornwall Police PCSO Kirsty Down tweeted: "Whoever created this horrible game is sick!

"Parents: Please be aware of this 'game' talk to your children about it if concerned."