'Blue Whale', national issue; broadcasters must generate awareness: SC
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday observed that the infamous Blue Whale game is a national problem while responding to a plea to ban the suicide game.
The apex court asked the public service broadcaster, Doordarshan and other private channels to generate awareness about the game by telecasting its hazards in their prime time programme.
The Centre in its reply told SC that it has set up an expert committee to look into the issue and file a report within three weeks.
Earlier, the govt told the Delhi High Court that a committee computer and other experts have been set up to probe cases of suicide allegedly caused by the Blue Whale challenge game, which is linked to the deaths of several children worldwide.
The Blue Whale Challenge is reportedly a suicide game in which the player is given certain tasks to complete over a period of 50 days and the final task leads him or her to commit suicide. The player is also asked to share photos after finishing each challenge.
More than six children across India in the age group of 12-19 years have taken their lives allegedly while playing this game within a span of two weeks, reports have said.
Deaths of teenagers have also been reported from other countries including Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile and Italy, the PIL has said.
The government had also said that it has issued directions to internet majors - Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo to ensure that all links of Blue Whale and of similar games are immediately removed from their platforms.
The sudden popularity of the lethal online game, in which the final task requires the player to commit suicide, had forced the government to issue directions to the internet firms to remove its links.
Taking serious view of the Blue Whale Challenge game, the Madras High Court had on September 4 asked the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to explore possibility of banning it.
