8. Dangerous challenges for girls, boys and adolescents
What are dangerous challenges?
As an adult we know that anyone can access practically any type of information by having a smart device (cell phone, tablet, computer, even an updated watch) and the internet. For a child it is no different, having this easy access to any threat from outside, such as dangerous challenges that spread quickly on the Internet such as YouTube, TikTok, which are the most used applications among boys and girls, among others.
Children approach them with the intention of playing online, not all platforms are dangerous, however, some generate challenges that, although at first they begin as a game, later become malicious challenges, which is why many tend to fall into these “challenges” with no intention other than to play.
Bring video games to real life
The virtual challenges did not arise out of nowhere, video games are taken as a background, since young people, in addition to the activities that seem attractive to them such as listening to music, uploading photos to the platforms they have access to or visiting websites, interact with other people from around the world through a game remotely tends to be enjoyed, because it captures their attention.
Beginning as a relaxation escape for adolescents, for some only an expansion of leisure becomes a transfer from the virtual to the physical, projecting the experience of avatars into real-life roles, generating political or social awareness. in them, becoming playful communities.
What are dangerous challenges?
The following challenges are briefly described, all viralized by social networks, through photos, videos, comments, retweets, etc.
Tide Pod Challenge
It consists of eating, cooking or biting detergent capsules as if they were candy, damaging personal health. The objective of this challenge is to eat the greatest number of capsules to beat the opponent.
In My Feelings Challenge
A challenge that encourages you to get out of a moving car and dance while being recorded. Risking physical integrity.
Cockroach challenge
It consists of photographing yourself with cockroaches on your face and publishing through other social networks such as Twitter and Instagram, which can cause diseases such as cholera or leprosy. This challenge was started by a teenager named Alex Aung.
Condom Challenge
It consists of filling a condom with water and filming how it ends up falling on the head of a participant who may drown.
Identification and prevention methods
Knowing how they originate is important that way we will know what they are about and we will keep an eye on our minors. The objective of these challenges is to keep the visits that the minor makes on the Internet under control. It is important to maintain the safety of our children, therefore, it is necessary not to promote this type of challenges, much less incite other young people to carry out these acts. The best is not to share the videos where these challenges are shown, in order not to make them viral.
bibliographic references
- Barbieri S, Feltracco P, Omizzolo L, Snenghi R, El Mazloum R, Vettore G, Bergamini M, Stefanati A, Donato D, Ferronato C,Avato F, Tredese A, Gaudio R, (2017) Planking or the “Lying-Down Game:” Two Case Reports, Interactive Journal of Medical Research, http://www.i-jmr.org/2017/1/e4
- Jacquier D. (2019) Desafíos virtuales: la tensión entre el riesgo y la socialización, Revista Sociedad, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Buenos AiresISSN: 2618-3137. 18 pp.
Pérez-Escoda A, Pedrero-Esteban L, Rubio-Romero J, Jiménez-Narros C, (2021), Fake news reaching young people on social networks: Distrust challenging media literacy, Publications 9(2), https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020024 - Alquézar, M., Buzeki, M., Weissmann, P., Mendoza, M., Polleri, P., Mendoza, M., & Weissmann, P. (2019). LES ADOLESCENTES EN SU COTIDIANEIDAD Y EN LA ESCUELA. Facultad de Humanidades.
Anónimo, (2019), Noticia Cockroach Challenge, el nuevo reto viral que consiste en hacerse fotos con cucarachas en la cara, ABC EL RECREO.
