Blue Whale: Bombay HC asks how government can check if children are playing online game

Questioning if parents could not keep a check on whether their children were playing the Blue Whale game, which has led to several suspected suicides across the country, the Bombay High Court Thursday asked how the government could be expected to do so. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by an NGO, Citizen Circle for Social Welfare and Education, seeking directions to the state government and the state police to stop online availability and circulation of the “lethal online game the Blue Whale”.

The court asked if the Union of India had issued any direction in the matter and was informed that it had asked social media platforms and search engines to immediately remove links of the game. The matter has been kept for hearing next week.

The petition also seeks directions for scrutiny of all online games available in India by the Cyber Cell, Maharashtra, to verify if they are lethal and take time-bound action to stop the availability of games that are found to be life threatening.

It has also sought for a commission to be set up for assisting the court in the matter besides setting up a 24×7 helpline.