Lok Sabha Question No. 821 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-07
Subject: Menace of Blue Whale Game
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 821

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 07.02.2018

## MENACE  OF BLUE WHALE GAME

## 821. SHRI RAYAPATISAMBASIVA RAO:

Will  the  Minister  of  ELECTRONICS  AND  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Blue Whale Game is creating havoc among children and students and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b) the number of persons who have fallen prey to Blue Whale Game so far;
- (c) the  details  of  the  instructions  or  advisory  that  have  been  issued  to  schools  and colleges on Blue Whale Game;
- (d) the details of the feedback that has come for controlling or checking the spread of Blue Whale Game; and
- (e) whether  the  concerned  Ministry  is  coordinating  with  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  to control and stop the spread of Blue Whale Game among children, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF  ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) and (b): There had been media reports about alleged suicides/ attempted suicides due to dangerous online game like Blue Whale Challenge Game. In this regard, Ministry of Home Affairs  (MHA)  had  constituted  a  Committee  to  investigate  all  cases  where  suicides  were committed or attempted allegedly using dangerous online games like Blue Whale Challenge. The Committee findings could not establish any involvement of Blue Whale challenge game in  any  of  incidents  reported  to  them.  Further,  in  a  writ  petition  (civil)  no.  943/2017  on  the same  subject,  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  has  disposed  off  the  case  directing  the  Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories to spread awareness in the school children about the dangers such games propagate by bringing people into a trap.

Further,  Section  79  of  the  Information  Technology  Act,  2000  provides  for  certain  due diligence to be  followed  by  Intermediaries failing  which  they  would  be  liable.  The Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011 notified under section 79 of the Act, inter alia, specifies that the intermediaries shall inform the users of computer resource not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is grossly harmful, harms minor in any way; violates any law for the time being in force; etc.

Law Enforcement Agencies regularly  monitor  the  social  media  sites  and  take  action  under existing  legal  provisions  for  removal  of  malicious  contents/materials  and  prosecuting  the offenders.

(c):  Government  issued  Guidelines  for  Safe  and  Effective  Use  of  Internet  and  Digital Technologies to all CBSE schools vide circular dated. 18.08.2017.

Minister, Women and Child Development wrote to Principals of all schools on 31st August 2017 to take immediate steps to protect children from Blue Whale Challenge Game.

(d)  and  (e)  :  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs had constituted a committee to investigate  all cases where suicides were committed or attempted allegedly using Blue Whale Challenge Game. The Committee analysed the internet activities, device activities, call records and other social media activity, other forensic evidences and also interacted with rescued victims associated with  these  incidents.  The  committee  findings  could  not  establish  any  involvement  of  blue whale challenge game in any of the incidents reported to them.

Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology  and  CERT-In  interacted  with  service providers of social media regarding the steps to be taken to prevent users from falling prey to harmful online games.

Government  has  asked  popular  social  media  sites  not  to  host  any  such  dangerous  online games and immediately remove the same as and when detected.

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