Devising a novel method to curb the evil effects of online game Blue Whale, the Supreme Court on Friday came up with a unique suggestion to air a short film exposing the dangers of the game on Doordarshan and other private channels as it believed “visuals have more impact”.
The Centre now has a week’s time to devise the content of the film of about 10 minutes, slot it in the prime time on Doordarshan and persuade private channels to air it at an “appropriate” time before November 20, when the court will next hear the matter.
The order came from a Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud on a PIl filed by woman lawyer Sneha Kalita. The Bench ordered, “Doordarshan shall prepare a programme in consultation with Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resources Development and will then telecast an educative programme for a span of 10 minutes or an appropriate duration about the evil impact of Blue Whale game so that parents and children get properly instructed not to get trapped or involved in that game.”
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) PS Narasimha, who appeared for the Centre, submitted that the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had compiled data from 28 reported cases in India where persons (young adults and teens) had fallen victim to this online game.
It is difficult to track or block these games as they are not available on any website or apps, the ASG said, indicating that the game was spreading within secret groups. He sought three weeks as by then, CERT will form a final conclusion based on the above cases to propose remedial steps.
The Bench noted the correspondence of CERT with various concerned agencies and observed, “The Centre is determined to stop this game as it has potentiality to destroy the marrows of life… States have conceded that Blue Whale game is dangerous to life and whatever endangers life cannot be allowed to continue.” On the previous hearing date, SC restrained all HCs from taking up proceedings against Blue Whale or similar online games.