Pierluigi Paganini May 08, 2015

Police worldwide are warning of a social media game dubbed game of 72 that is challenging teenagers to disappear for three long days.

Any abuse of technology against children and youngster can have devastating effects social media them, their lives and their harmony of their families.

Social media are among the paradigms that can be transformed to a deadly trap for teenagers, pedophilia, sexting, sextortion and cyberbullying are just a few samples of the threats for children and youngster that are left alone online.

I strongly believe that it is important to share the knowledge of the principal threats and phenomena that can manage young individuals, for this reason I want to introduce you a dangerous game that is involving teenagers, the Game of 72 (#Gameof72).

According to the Vancouver police who launched the warning, the Game of 72 is a challenge among teenagers to vanish for 72 hours.

“Essentially, children are daring each other to ‘go dark’ for 72 hours.””To kids, going dark for 72 hours means to make themselves go missing. Not just off social media, but missing from society for three days.” reported Walkingthesocialmediabeat.com.

The rules of the Game of 72 are simple, the youngster who receives the message is not allowed to contact anyone for three days.

“The greater the hysteria your disappearance causes the bigger you win.” reported the cknw.com.

The social media expert, Jesse Miller highlighted the importance to dialog with children and informing them about the risks related to these popular platforms, in particular of the Game of 72.

“Open up dialogue about where a story originated from. Ask the questions about whether or not their children have heard about it and whether or not their friends are talking about it on the internet.” said Miller.

Miller explained that law enforcement observed numerous cases in the UK linked to the Game of 72, fortunately in all the cases where teenagers disappeared and appeared unharmed days later. It seems that that game was originated in France, according to the French website The Local.

“The game was reportedly to blame for the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl the French press identified as Emma, who went missing for three days at the end of April before showing up at home unharmed and refusing to reveal to her parents or law enforcement where she’d been.” reported Yahoo. “After two girls in Britain went missing over the weekend, speculation arose that they, too, were playing the game, according to The Daily Express. Sammy Clarke and Siobhan Clarke, who are not related, were found safe on Monday. Police have not confirmed whether the girls were playing the game, though friends and neighbors told the papers they suspected it. Still, local authorities have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the incident, The Daily Express reported.”

It is clear that the so-called the Game of 72 could have dramatic consequences for its young players. Vancouver Constable Brian Montague explained that the game is dangerous and potentially criminal because it procures a false alarm in the police.

“When you force the police into an investigation you potentially could be charged criminally. That’s always a possibility. We hope that it wouldn’t get to that.” explained the Vancouver Constable Brian Montague.

In order to discourage the teenager in participating the Game of 72, Montague is also cautioning them that an investigation conducted by the law enforcement on their disappearance could cause the public disclosure for details of their personal life.

The disconcerting Game of 72 is becoming viral, Revere Police in Massachusetts is warning parents of the absurd practice.

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs – Game of 72, social media)

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