Cult suicide game being tracked by police
Print Edition
CHINESE police have extended surveillance of social media, after the recent spread of the “Blue Whale” suicide game targeting the country’s youth.
Drawing a blue whale on a piece of paper, or carving it onto your body, and watching horror movies are just part of the cult game that has swept Russia, and is now targeting vulnerable Chinese youths. The game demands players complete 50 tasks in 50 days, with the last task to commit suicide.
“If I carve a blue whale on my arm, will it leave a scar? Can I still become a police officer with that scar?” These are just two questions a primary school student in Wenzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, asked his mother.
The alarmed mom contacted police and their investigations found that a group on instant messaging service, Tencent QQ, were inviting youths to take part.
“Those who would like to join in the game must get up 4:20am tomorrow. I will send you a horror movie and you must watch it alone, or face the consequences,” wrote the group’s founder who writes under the Xiao Yang pseudonym.
Xiao, who called himself vice president of Blue Whale’s China Bureau, listed 50 tasks, including: cutting your arm along the vein with a razor; stabbing your hand with a needle repeatedly; don’t talk to anyone all day and accept the date of your death.
In Zhejiang’s Ningbo City, a 12-year-old girl nicknamed Han Jing founded a similar group and uploaded three photos of her self-harming. When asked why, she replied: “I am not good at school, and don’t have friends. I feel frustrated.”
Chen Long from Zhejiang police’s cyber security team says the spread of the game has been unprecedented, “in some ways like a cult.”
There are currently no legal means for direct conviction and punishment of game organizers and players, Chen said.
Police have shut down Xiao’s QQ group, and made him sign a declaration that he would not reopen it. Han Jing and her parents have been receiving psychological counseling.
Zhang Zhihua from China Communications University, said prior to the spread of the game, targeted youths could meet others via the Internet and encourage or assist each other to commit suicide.
“But the game adds a level of sensory experience. Players gain attention by posting evidence of self-harming. In a sense, Blue Whale is like a step-by-step suicide guide for teenagers,” said Zhang. “Teenagers need psychological support, especially when faced with the pressures of study, society and family obligations. Otherwise, they can feel life is overwhelming and meaningless.”
The Beijing office of the Cyberspace Administration of China has confirmed that while Blue Whale is spread online, it is effectively an offline game.
Zhu Wei from China University of Political Science and Law has attended the office’s briefing on the game as a legal consultant.
“I don’t think it is a game. It is organized like a cult. It gives adolescents an excuse to do extreme things and show off,” he said.
Zhu said measures have been taken to stop its spread. Police are monitoring any mention of the game on live-streaming sites and message boards. Once messages or discussions concerning the game are detected they are immediately removed.
In Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang, the education authority has issued a notice to all primary and middle schools asking them to inform parents about the game. They say if schools find out students are taking part then they must report it to local police. They have also asked for a hotline to be opened to provide psychological counseling for both students and parents.
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