Dubai: Parents have said they have been warned about the dangers that the game Blue Whale poses and stressed that vigilance is the key— children must always be monitored to ensure they stay safe.
Venus Ramos, a Filipino, said: “At my six year-old’s school — The Winchester School in Jebel Ali — the parent’s group has been warned about the dangers of the game Blue-Whale, as soon as it was being talked about. We were given an idea about the suicidal tendencies it promotes.”
“Now that my daughter Gabrilla-Anne is on vacation, I let her use the iPad to watch age-appropriate shows and movies on YouTube. She also plays games such as puzzles — but I am always checking on her online activities to make sure she is watching the right thing. I have heard of this dangerous game, and have been alert about it from the beginning,” Ramos said.
Yahya Ahmad, an Egyptian, said he was shocked to hear about this online game and how it pushes kids to endanger their lives.
“I have three children between the ages of 9-14, and of course like most kids, they own phones and are online every day. I have warned them about the game, and have been monitoring their phones manually to see the apps they have downloaded and the games they are playing. It is really important to publicise the dangers of these games, because awareness could save lives.
“In this social media age, it makes it harder for parents to keep track of every single thing their child is doing on their phone or on the computer. I am thinking of installing a tracing programme for my peace of mind,” Ahmad said.
