Egypt debates how to block dangerous viral games
David
Awad, Al Monitor, April 16, 2018
Following
claims that the suicide of an Egyptian politician’s son was due to the
“Blue Whale Challenge,” Egyptians are seeking tighter restrictions on
these types of online games.
claims that the suicide of an Egyptian politician’s son was due to the
“Blue Whale Challenge,” Egyptians are seeking tighter restrictions on
these types of online games.
 |
|
Image by
Hugo Goodridge/Al-Monitor. |
CAIRO —
Egyptians are debating a blanket ban on risky online games following the
suicide of an Egyptian politician’s 18-year-old son, who is reportedly one
of the latest victims of the dangerous online game “Blue Whale
Challenge.”
Egyptians are debating a blanket ban on risky online games following the
suicide of an Egyptian politician’s 18-year-old son, who is reportedly one
of the latest victims of the dangerous online game “Blue Whale
Challenge.”
Ahmed
Badawi, a member of the parliamentary Communication and Information
Technology Committee, told Al-Monitor that he made an urgent statement to
parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal on some dangerous online
games — such as Blue Whale Challenge, Bloody Mary and
Charlie Charlie Challenge — that have gone viral in recent years and
attracted the attention of children and teenagers, pushing them to use violence
and commit murder and suicide. These three games involve acts that can
quickly turn into mass hysteria,
panic, violence,
self-injury or even suicide.
Badawi, a member of the parliamentary Communication and Information
Technology Committee, told Al-Monitor that he made an urgent statement to
parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal on some dangerous online
games — such as Blue Whale Challenge, Bloody Mary and
Charlie Charlie Challenge — that have gone viral in recent years and
attracted the attention of children and teenagers, pushing them to use violence
and commit murder and suicide. These three games involve acts that can
quickly turn into mass hysteria,
panic, violence,
self-injury or even suicide.
Badawi
said that several other deputies, namely Tariq al-Khawly and Said Taima, also
support his demand for banning dangerous online games. “Such games threaten the
Egyptian national security by targeting youths who represent the future of
Egypt,” he said.
said that several other deputies, namely Tariq al-Khawly and Said Taima, also
support his demand for banning dangerous online games. “Such games threaten the
Egyptian national security by targeting youths who represent the future of
Egypt,” he said.
The calls
in parliament follow the death of the
son of former parliamentarian Hamdy
El-Fakharany and the sympathy and outrage many Egyptians
felt.
in parliament follow the death of the
son of former parliamentarian Hamdy
El-Fakharany and the sympathy and outrage many Egyptians
felt.
Fakharany’s
daughter noted in an online post April 3, a day after her brother’s suicide, that
Khaled had been under the influence of the Blue Whale Challenge, a
game available online and previously on both Google Play Store and the Apple
App Store.
daughter noted in an online post April 3, a day after her brother’s suicide, that
Khaled had been under the influence of the Blue Whale Challenge, a
game available online and previously on both Google Play Store and the Apple
App Store.
“My
brother participated in the ‘Blue Whale Challenge’; we found papers with
drawings and signs from the game. I beg you not to take part in this challenge.
Do not try to act tough and try it. No one was as strong as Khaled or as pious,
but he accepted the challenge and lost,” Yasmine wrote.
brother participated in the ‘Blue Whale Challenge’; we found papers with
drawings and signs from the game. I beg you not to take part in this challenge.
Do not try to act tough and try it. No one was as strong as Khaled or as pious,
but he accepted the challenge and lost,” Yasmine wrote.
Khaled
was not the only recent Blue Whale
Challenge victim in Egypt. On April 9, the Alexandria Security
Directorate confirmed that a female high school student tried to commit suicide
by consuming rat poison after playing the game.
was not the only recent Blue Whale
Challenge victim in Egypt. On April 9, the Alexandria Security
Directorate confirmed that a female high school student tried to commit suicide
by consuming rat poison after playing the game.
Deaths
related to this online game have also been reported in
other countries. On May 11, 2017, Philipp Budeikin, one of the
administrators of the Blue Whale Challenge, pleaded
guilty to inciting suicide. By then, the application had
reached 20,000 people in Russia alone. Several newspapers have reported
that 130 teenagers
in Russia had committed suicide, but this number cannot be
confirmed.
related to this online game have also been reported in
other countries. On May 11, 2017, Philipp Budeikin, one of the
administrators of the Blue Whale Challenge, pleaded
guilty to inciting suicide. By then, the application had
reached 20,000 people in Russia alone. Several newspapers have reported
that 130 teenagers
in Russia had committed suicide, but this number cannot be
confirmed.
However,
the game can still be downloaded and the number of victims continue to
grow in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt.
the game can still be downloaded and the number of victims continue to
grow in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt.
Neuropsychiatrist
Gamal Farwaz told Al-Monitor that the game’s inventor studied psychology
and has been able to influence many young people between the ages of 16
and 30 and convince them to take part in the game. He exploits these
young people’s curiosity and search for a challenge in the first stages,
prepping them for later stages that involve destroying the nervous system
and cognitive centers. Farwaz said that the challenges of waking up in the
middle of the night for several nights in a row or taking drugs
destroy the gamers’ willpower, and strengthens the game master’s
influence, which leads them to accept the final challenge of committing
suicide.
Gamal Farwaz told Al-Monitor that the game’s inventor studied psychology
and has been able to influence many young people between the ages of 16
and 30 and convince them to take part in the game. He exploits these
young people’s curiosity and search for a challenge in the first stages,
prepping them for later stages that involve destroying the nervous system
and cognitive centers. Farwaz said that the challenges of waking up in the
middle of the night for several nights in a row or taking drugs
destroy the gamers’ willpower, and strengthens the game master’s
influence, which leads them to accept the final challenge of committing
suicide.
Farwaz
wants to raise awareness among Egyptian families, schools and clubs about
the importance of keeping a close eye on the youth and strengthening
communication opportunities that allow teenagers to comfortably reach out
to their parents and teachers.
wants to raise awareness among Egyptian families, schools and clubs about
the importance of keeping a close eye on the youth and strengthening
communication opportunities that allow teenagers to comfortably reach out
to their parents and teachers.
He added
that communication is key for protecting children and teenagers from the
dangers of information technology, and some parental control needs to be
exercised to protect them.
that communication is key for protecting children and teenagers from the
dangers of information technology, and some parental control needs to be
exercised to protect them.
Engineer
Walid Hajaj, a freelance information security expert and the founder of Hackers Hunter Facebook
page, disagrees that games can be banned effectively.
Walid Hajaj, a freelance information security expert and the founder of Hackers Hunter Facebook
page, disagrees that games can be banned effectively.
It is
impossible to prevent the downloading of dangerous online games even if they
were deleted from official online stores, he told Al-Monitor, noting that this
could only happen by coordinating with international companies providing
internet services.
impossible to prevent the downloading of dangerous online games even if they
were deleted from official online stores, he told Al-Monitor, noting that this
could only happen by coordinating with international companies providing
internet services.
Khawly noted
that the parliament is currently considering issuing a law to fight cybercrime
and impose sanctions on Egyptian sites that promote such games. He said that
the law will oblige the government and competent authorities to follow
specific steps in communicating with international companies
providing internet services in order to block risky online games.
that the parliament is currently considering issuing a law to fight cybercrime
and impose sanctions on Egyptian sites that promote such games. He said that
the law will oblige the government and competent authorities to follow
specific steps in communicating with international companies
providing internet services in order to block risky online games.
Yet Hajaj
pointed out that pursuing these games through international internet providers
will not eliminate such games because this process takes time, during which
many people could download and start playing them.
pointed out that pursuing these games through international internet providers
will not eliminate such games because this process takes time, during which
many people could download and start playing them.
Yasser
Abdul Aziz, a former media relations consultant for BBC World Service
Trust in the Middle East and North Africa, told Al-Monitor, “Media outlets play
the biggest part because they are well placed in raising awareness about
dangerous games on a large scale. It would be wrong to avoid addressing such
games in the media for fear of introducing them to teenagers. On the contrary,
professional and objective practical coverage is able to keep the youth
away from these games by exposing their health and psychological risks.”
Abdul Aziz, a former media relations consultant for BBC World Service
Trust in the Middle East and North Africa, told Al-Monitor, “Media outlets play
the biggest part because they are well placed in raising awareness about
dangerous games on a large scale. It would be wrong to avoid addressing such
games in the media for fear of introducing them to teenagers. On the contrary,
professional and objective practical coverage is able to keep the youth
away from these games by exposing their health and psychological risks.”
Neuropsychiatrist
Mohammed al-Shami believes that the first step should be the treatment of
psychological disturbances in Egyptian society before any other dangerous
online games are made available. He told Al-Monitor there needs to be
a preventive strategy instead.
Mohammed al-Shami believes that the first step should be the treatment of
psychological disturbances in Egyptian society before any other dangerous
online games are made available. He told Al-Monitor there needs to be
a preventive strategy instead.
“In its
first stage, the Blue Whale [game] challenges the player to use a razor
blade to draw a whale on his or her arm. Accepting this challenge alone is
proof that the person is not mentally stable to begin with; they are often
people who feel despair and depression and are subject to marginalization.
They are looking for a sense of self-worth and victory by overcoming the
challenges of the game, no matter how dangerous,” he said.
first stage, the Blue Whale [game] challenges the player to use a razor
blade to draw a whale on his or her arm. Accepting this challenge alone is
proof that the person is not mentally stable to begin with; they are often
people who feel despair and depression and are subject to marginalization.
They are looking for a sense of self-worth and victory by overcoming the
challenges of the game, no matter how dangerous,” he said.
Shami pointed
out that the game’s inventor exploits the abundant number of mentally
unstable teenagers.
out that the game’s inventor exploits the abundant number of mentally
unstable teenagers.
World Health
Organization statistics indicate that one person around the
world commits suicide every 40 seconds, and that one in every 10 people around
the world is suffering from depression and requires medical intervention.
Organization statistics indicate that one person around the
world commits suicide every 40 seconds, and that one in every 10 people around
the world is suffering from depression and requires medical intervention.
