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Category: Communication

Description: Background: An internet game Blue Whale Suicide Challenge (BWSC) has driven scores of teenagers and young adults to suicide globally. The challenge preferably runs through the closed social media networks and has gained notoriety for its mysterious modus operandi. Methods: Descriptions of the cases published online by credible news media globally were collected using combinations of keywords, viz., ‘blue whale suicide challenge’, ‘self-infliction’, ‘rescue’ etc. A review of the scientific literature was undertaken to evaluate the mental status of the victims and curators, based on the reported descriptions, to construct a psychobiological perspective of victimization. Results and discussion: BWSC victimization cases were reported from different parts of the world, particularly from Russia, Europe and India. The victims of this challenge were largely teenagers and young adults with occasional cases in other age groups. Teenagers with complicated upbringing and negative life experiences have higher propensity to be easier targets. Analysis of instructions used in the game revealed a motivational program exploiting fear psychology and containing elements of induction, habituation and preparation for self-infliction, and to commit suicide as the ultimate goal. Conclusions: BWSC victimization seems to imply predatory and self-inflictive psychobiological mechanisms on the part of curators and participants respectively. The online agency mediated modus operandi uniquely exploits principles of psychology and could mischievously be applied to target individuals or masses in different settings.