MAKE SHOW ON BLUE WHALE FOR PRIME TIME, SC TELLS DD

The SC has asked Doordarshan to produce a 10-minute show on the perils of virtual dare games like Blue Whale in a week and ensure it is shown by the public broadcaster and private channels on prime time.

NEW DELHI: Taking note of the harmful impact of online games such as the Blue Whale Challenge, the Supreme Court on Friday asked Doordarshan to make a documentary or programme to create awareness among parents and children.

A bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the education show should be prepared within a week and government must ensure the program is telecast at appropriate time on all private channels.

“How you (Centre) will do it, we are not concerned. But you must do it,” the bench told additional solicitor general PS Narasimha. It said the online games posed danger to life and must be “contained.”

“Children who are lonely and depressed usually get attracted towards such dangerous games,” the court remarked, asking the government to come up with effective measures to stop the access of the game within three weeks.

“Doordarshan shall prepare a programme in consultation with the ministries of women and child development and the human resource development within one week to educate children about the evils of Bluewhale game so that they are not involved in that game,” read the court order.

Narasimha informed the court that 28 cases relating to such games have been reported so far and the agencies are probing them. A committee, set up by the ministry of electronics and information technology, will consult various stakeholders such as internet service providers to come with the steps required to stop recurrence of such incident, he said.