A growing number of youngsters in search of Internet fame have been found performing dangerous stunts and posting their dare-devil acts online, risking life for few Facebook likes. This raises concerns as the practice has now become an alarming online trend. Stunt performers who do dangerous stunts are trained professionals. They make their living with this art unlike dumb kids who look to gather a fan base with their bravado. Here’s some dangerous dares, challenges and stunts that have become instant cults – all all for a few Likes!
Dares on the Internet
A quick search of YouTube, Instagram/Vine, or Google with the hashtag #challenge or #challengegonewrong will land you on a page showing teens (and adults) filming dangerous games that sometimes go terribly wrong.
1] Rub alcohol on self, light a match – Rubbing flammable liquid such as nail polish remover, lighting self on fire, and trying to douse flames seconds before it burns the skin. This game has resulted in severe burns in certain cases and several deaths.
2] Neknomination Challenge (neck + nominate) – Consuming large amounts of alcohol followed by a challenge thrown to other friends to do the same. Drinking an excessively large amount of alcohol in a short period of time could lead to a much higher level of intoxication than with normal binge-drinking.
EFFECTS! At least five deaths have been reported from alcohol poisoning while playing this game online.
3] Cinnamon Challenge: swallowing a spoonful of ground cinnamon in less than a minute without water. Danger: Gagging, vomiting, lung scarring, emphysema, lung collapse.
4] Big Knife Challenge (aka Five Finger Fillet) – Quickly stabbing a big knife from an arm’s height between your fingers while keeping other hand open on the table. Danger posed – accidental amputation.
5] Condom Challenge – forcing a condom into a nostril, snorting it back into your throat, and allowing it to make an exit from your mouth. Danger: can lead to choking, death in certain cases.
The McAfee blog has some advice to offer:
- Don’t assume your kids won’t try it. Peer pressure can defeat the logic of even the most sensible teen.
- Prompt critical thinking. When you talk about these online games, ask your child “what do you think could happen if you do this?”
- Set clear boundaries. Make sure you communicate what is and isn’t okay.
- State the obvious. It may be clear to you that snorting a condom up your nose or lighting yourself on fire is a bad idea but make sure you state such many obvious facts.
Be sensible, stay safe!
