![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/teenage-girl-filming-self-in-snow.jpeg\")
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What is an Online Challenge & How Can It Be Dangerous?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An online challenge<\/strong> generally involves an individual recording themselves completing a challenge and distributing the video through social media channels. The challenge is often something difficult or daring, which they then invite others to complete themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the creation of apps like TikTok, online challenges have become increasingly popular. Different challenges are created every day, and there is a continuous wave of them trending<\/strong> and going viral<\/strong> (being widely and rapidly shared online). Children and young people are constantly exposed to these challenges via their phones and other electronic devices, which can be extremely problematic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is because some internet and social media challenges are dangerous. In extreme cases, young people have died attempting them \u2013 for example, in the case of Joshua Haileyesus<\/a> in March 2021 \u2013 and others have experienced consequences such as seizures, comas, safeguarding issues, and third-degree burns (for the latter, see Abbie Quinnen<\/a>, also in March 2021). <\/p>\n\n\n Children and young people do not always perceive the risks involved in a challenge, and this \u2013 combined with factors such as peer pressure \u2013 leads them to complete a task which has the potential to harm them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it is important to stress that not all online challenges are harmful. Some, such as the ASL Ice Bucket Challenge, were created to raise money for a good cause. In fact, the great majority of TikTok crazes revolve around recreating different dances, which is generally risk-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, some of the most extreme internet challenges are actually hoaxes<\/strong> \u2013 those that are deliberately made up and designed to seem truthful. Rumours about these sorts of challenges can spread and cause panic. For example, several years ago \u2018blue whale challenge\u2019 was reported to be an online suicide game aimed at teenagers, linked to numerous deaths around the world. However, investigation<\/a> has revealed that the game didn\u2019t really seem to exist at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, you should always do your research and remain level-headed when facing a supposed challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n There are a few potential reasons behind the popularity of viral internet challenges, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dangerous online challenges might also appeal for other reasons, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thinking about these reasons will help you to better understand the logic behind why children get involved in online challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important for teachers to be aware of the online challenges that are currently circulating, as well as their associated dangers, and how they may impact schools. For example, some challenges might be attempted while children are on school premises, or could cause ill spells during school hours. Greater awareness will help you to better fulfil your duty to safeguard children.<\/p>\n\n\n Potentially dangerous trending social media challenges in 2020 and 2021 include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the challenges above (and the creation of new ones), past challenges are sometimes brought back. As a result, it is worth being aware of these challenges too, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whilst it is important to be aware of online challenges, you also need to be familiar with lesser-known social media apps in order to safeguard effectively. These apps are potentially dangerous to children, and some are purposefully masked to appear more harmless than they are.<\/p>\n\n\n If you would like to know more about the more popular social media apps that children are using \u2013 including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok \u2013 you can read our dedicated articles here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have collated eight tips for dealing with viral challenges and crazes effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n Before you take any action or share warnings about viral challenges with parents or colleagues, it is important to do your research. In the past, schools have acted too quickly and inadvertently spread panic about challenges which turned out to be hoaxes, the Momo \u2018suicide challenge\u2019 being one such challenge. Searching for evidence in a critical manner helps you to respond proportionately \u2013 always check the factual basis of any harmful online challenge using a known, reliable source (such as the Professional Online Safety Helpline<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is unhelpful (and unrealistic) for teachers and parents to describe a harmful online challenge to children, tell them its name, and then instruct them not to search for it. Rather than reducing the risk of the challenge, this drives curiosity and traffic towards it, causing more people to search for and become aware of it, and a greater likelihood that children encounter it on the internet. In the case of hoaxes, much of the content is actually created by those attempting to give warnings. It can also be needlessly upsetting for children to hear explicit details of these challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, schools should focus on giving general advice and strategies to help children navigate the risks of the internet \u2013 encourage children to talk to adults about any distressing content they see, as well as reporting and blocking the content. Talk about how to identify whether a challenge could be harmful, and whether or not it could be a hoax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re unconfident in teaching children how to stay safe online, have a look at our Online Safety and Harms<\/a> course. It provides you with all the knowledge you need, including how to identify when a child is at risk, what the different safeguarding and cyber security risks are, and how to teach online safety to students.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n You could also discuss more generally whether completing online challenges and being popular on social media is important in life. Ask young people to think about whether it is something they could be proud of years in the future, how likely it is that they will become an internet celebrity, and whether putting themselves in danger is worth the risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peer pressure is an important factor in young people\u2019s decisions to participate in social media trends \u2013 they are often drawn into it because all their friends are doing it. Acknowledging this, explaining that it is unhealthy, and teaching children how to set boundaries and communicate effectively could help to reduce the risk of them being pressured into completing dangerous challenges. Our article on How to Teach Children About Healthy Relationships<\/a> might be helpful to you here.<\/p>\n\n\n It is important to ensure that parents and carers are kept in the loop about potential dangers to their child and how to handle them. You could include this information in a newsletter or other regular correspondence to follow up on any information that you have given to the children in school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, don\u2019t refer to online challenges by name, and reinforce that parents should not do this either. Ask them to focus on teaching their children positive, empowering online behaviours such as critical thinking and reporting concerns about harmful content. You could also suggest that parents monitor their children\u2019s online activity (particularly younger children).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should make it clear that pupils are welcome to discuss their concerns discreetly with you or another member of staff. Being able to talk to you and ask questions will reduce any anxiety that they feel, and if they come to you about a particular challenge, you might be able to stop it from escalating further. Give them a particular time, place, and person in school to go to, and display this information in key areas of the school, such as the lunch hall, toilets, classrooms, and foyer.<\/p>\n\n\n The statutory guidance \u2018Keeping Children Safe in Education\u2019 outlines how schools should have appropriate filters and monitoring systems in place. For example, children should not be able to access harmful or inappropriate material from the school or college\u2019s IT system. Filters may be limited in preventing access to harmful online challenges and hoaxes, but they should always protect children from extreme content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your school should also have mechanisms to identify, intervene in, and escalate incidents where appropriate. Find out more about Keeping Children Safe in Education here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are your school\u2019s designated safeguarding lead (DSL), then you have a responsibility to respond effectively to incidents. This includes those involving harmful online challenges. It would be helpful to plan your response in advance, thinking about your policies relating to child protection, behaviour, staff behaviour, and mobile devices. Protecting children from harmful online challenges is a type of contextual safeguarding<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If any incidents do occur, undertake a case-by-case assessment, establishing the scale and nature of the possible risk, and reporting it to the authorities where necessary. You might find our DSL resource pack<\/a> useful for further guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n We have already mentioned the Professionals Online Safety Helpline (POSH)<\/a>, which is available to those working with or for children in the UK who need help with online safety issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also helplines available to both chil<\/a>d<\/a>ren<\/a> and parents or carers<\/a> \u2013 make sure that students and their families are aware of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While many internet challenges are fun, others are harmful and dangerous. Learn about the crazes to be aware of and how to support students here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":52160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[81,75,80],"class_list":["post-52072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safeguarding","tag-education","tag-safeguarding-children","tag-teachers-and-parents"],"acf":{"schema_disabled":false,"schema_properties_FAQPage_question_answer":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_tools":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_supplies":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_steps":null,"schema_properties_WebPage_cssSelector":null,"schema_sameAs_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_override":false},"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/young-girl-looking-at-phone-feeling-frightened.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHoaxes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nWhy are Internet Challenges Popular?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/young-boy-making-video-on-his-phone.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWhy are Dangerous Social Media Challenges Popular?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nWhich Challenges and Viral Crazes Should Teachers Be Aware of?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/group-of-young-people-on-their-phones.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nChallenges in 2020 and 2021<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/young-girls-making-video-for-tiktok.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nPrior Challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Potentially Dangerous Social Media Apps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow Can Schools Help to Keep Children Safe Online?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/school-children-in-assembly.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n1. Only share accurate information<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. Don’t refer to challenges by name<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"expert](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/expert-tip-icon.png\"){kind=icon}
\n<\/div>\nNeed Online Safety Training?<\/h3> \n<\/div> \n<\/div>\n
3. Acknowledge peer pressure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n4. Keep parents and carers up to date<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. Give pupils an opportunity to come and talk to you about concerns<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/student-talking-to-teacher-about-worries.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n6. Have appropriate filters and monitoring systems in place<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
7. Pre-plan your formal response<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/formal-meeting-between-teachers.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n8. Be aware of helplines<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFurther Resources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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