be challenge aware
Online challenges are trends or dares, often started and shared on social media, that encourage people to perform a specific task, record it (usually as a video), and post it online for others to see, copy, or respond to. They can spread quickly across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, especially among children and teens.
These challenges usually fall into one of three categories:
✅ Harmless or Fun Challenges
These are generally creative, silly, or positive in nature. They encourage participation, creativity, or physical activity.
Examples: Dance routines (e.g., TikTok dance trends), Try-not-to-laugh challenges, Drawing or art prompts, "Glow-up" transformations or makeup transitions
🟢 These challenges can be safe and enjoyable—especially when approached with balance and healthy boundaries.
⚠️ Risky or Dangerous ChallengesSome challenges involve risky behaviour, dangerous stunts, or extreme dares. These can cause physical harm, emotional distress, or even long-term health consequences.
Examples: Eating or inhaling harmful substances (e.g., the "cinnamon challenge" or "Tide Pod challenge"), holding your breath to faint or choking games (aka the "blackout challenge"), jumping in front of moving objects or off high ledges, extreme pranks that scare or humiliate others
🔴 These challenges can put kids in serious danger and often go viral before parents or platforms can respond.
⚠️Emotionally Harmful or Manipulative ChallengesSome challenges use fear, guilt, or psychological manipulation—often involving hoaxes or dares with dark themes.
Examples: Dares that pressure kids to complete harmful tasks or keep secrets, challenges involving self-harm or mental health triggers, hoaxes that warn of fake dangers (e.g., the "Blue Whale Challenge")
🟠 These may not cause immediate physical harm but can seriously impact a child’s mental health and sense of safety.
👨👩👧 Why Do Kids Take Part?
Children and teens often participate in online challenges for a variety of reasons:
⚠️ Potential Dangers of Online Challenges
While some online challenges are harmless fun, others can pose serious risks — especially to children and teens who may not fully grasp the consequences.
🚨Physical Harm
Many risky challenges involve stunts or dares that can result in injuries such as burns, broken bones, poisoning, or even loss of consciousness. Some have led to hospitalisations and, tragically, even deaths.
🚨Mental and Emotional ImpactChallenges that involve fear, manipulation, or humiliation can cause emotional distress, anxiety, or damage to self-esteem—especially if a child feels pressured or bullied into participating.
🚨Online Shaming and Reputation Damage
Once a video or photo is posted online, it’s hard to control who sees it. Participating in dangerous or embarrassing challenges can affect a child’s reputation, both now and in the future (e.g., during college or job applications).
🚨Pressure to Go Viral
Children may feel pressure to “outdo” others for likes, followers, or attention—leading them to take greater risks, copy unsafe behaviour, or ignore red flags.
🚨Desensitisation to Risk
Repeated exposure to harmful content can make risky behaviour seem normal, funny, or even admirable—blurring the line between right and wrong.
🚨Manipulation and Secrecy
Some challenges, especially those disguised as games, may encourage secrecy or isolate children from trusted adults. This makes it harder for parents to intervene until it’s too late.
Being aware of these dangers empowers parents to spot warning signs early and to equip their children with the tools to stay safe, think critically, and speak up if they feel uncomfortable or pressured online.
💻Being Challenge Aware
Being challenge aware means actively understanding and anticipating the viral online trends, often referred to as “challenges”, that your child may come across on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Snapchat. These challenges can range from light-hearted and creative (like dance routines or recipe hacks) to risky or dangerous (like dares involving self-harm, extreme stunts, or unsafe behaviour).
In today’s digital world, children and teens are constantly exposed to content that’s designed to grab attention and go viral. The pressure to participate—whether for likes, peer approval, or simply out of curiosity - can be intense, even if a challenge seems unsafe or out of character.
📌Quick tips for Parents and Carers
**TRIGGER WARNING**
Below is a video created by Internet Matters with Hollie Dance and Lisa Kenevan, parents of two young boys who lost their lives after it was believed they took part in dangerous online challenges. The mothers have since joined forces to warn others of potential tragedy.
These challenges usually fall into one of three categories:
✅ Harmless or Fun Challenges
These are generally creative, silly, or positive in nature. They encourage participation, creativity, or physical activity.
Examples: Dance routines (e.g., TikTok dance trends), Try-not-to-laugh challenges, Drawing or art prompts, "Glow-up" transformations or makeup transitions
🟢 These challenges can be safe and enjoyable—especially when approached with balance and healthy boundaries.
⚠️ Risky or Dangerous ChallengesSome challenges involve risky behaviour, dangerous stunts, or extreme dares. These can cause physical harm, emotional distress, or even long-term health consequences.
Examples: Eating or inhaling harmful substances (e.g., the "cinnamon challenge" or "Tide Pod challenge"), holding your breath to faint or choking games (aka the "blackout challenge"), jumping in front of moving objects or off high ledges, extreme pranks that scare or humiliate others
🔴 These challenges can put kids in serious danger and often go viral before parents or platforms can respond.
⚠️Emotionally Harmful or Manipulative ChallengesSome challenges use fear, guilt, or psychological manipulation—often involving hoaxes or dares with dark themes.
Examples: Dares that pressure kids to complete harmful tasks or keep secrets, challenges involving self-harm or mental health triggers, hoaxes that warn of fake dangers (e.g., the "Blue Whale Challenge")
🟠 These may not cause immediate physical harm but can seriously impact a child’s mental health and sense of safety.
👨👩👧 Why Do Kids Take Part?
Children and teens often participate in online challenges for a variety of reasons:
- Peer Pressure and Belonging:
Kids might feel pressured to participate if their friends are doing it, wanting to fit in and feel accepted.
- Attention and Validation:
Online challenges can be a way to gain attention and validation, especially from peers, and the desire for likes and followers can be a strong motivator. - Excitement and Risk-Taking:
Some challenges are inherently risky, and the excitement of doing something potentially dangerous can be appealing, particularly to teenagers. - Entertainment and Boredom:
Some challenges are just seen as fun and entertaining ways to pass the time, especially when there's a lot of free time, like during the summer holidays. - Social Media Influence:
The speed at which trends spread online can make it seem like everyone is participating, leading kids to feel like they need to join in.
⚠️ Potential Dangers of Online Challenges
While some online challenges are harmless fun, others can pose serious risks — especially to children and teens who may not fully grasp the consequences.
🚨Physical Harm
Many risky challenges involve stunts or dares that can result in injuries such as burns, broken bones, poisoning, or even loss of consciousness. Some have led to hospitalisations and, tragically, even deaths.
🚨Mental and Emotional ImpactChallenges that involve fear, manipulation, or humiliation can cause emotional distress, anxiety, or damage to self-esteem—especially if a child feels pressured or bullied into participating.
🚨Online Shaming and Reputation Damage
Once a video or photo is posted online, it’s hard to control who sees it. Participating in dangerous or embarrassing challenges can affect a child’s reputation, both now and in the future (e.g., during college or job applications).
🚨Pressure to Go Viral
Children may feel pressure to “outdo” others for likes, followers, or attention—leading them to take greater risks, copy unsafe behaviour, or ignore red flags.
🚨Desensitisation to Risk
Repeated exposure to harmful content can make risky behaviour seem normal, funny, or even admirable—blurring the line between right and wrong.
🚨Manipulation and Secrecy
Some challenges, especially those disguised as games, may encourage secrecy or isolate children from trusted adults. This makes it harder for parents to intervene until it’s too late.
Being aware of these dangers empowers parents to spot warning signs early and to equip their children with the tools to stay safe, think critically, and speak up if they feel uncomfortable or pressured online.
💻Being Challenge Aware
Being challenge aware means actively understanding and anticipating the viral online trends, often referred to as “challenges”, that your child may come across on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Snapchat. These challenges can range from light-hearted and creative (like dance routines or recipe hacks) to risky or dangerous (like dares involving self-harm, extreme stunts, or unsafe behaviour).
In today’s digital world, children and teens are constantly exposed to content that’s designed to grab attention and go viral. The pressure to participate—whether for likes, peer approval, or simply out of curiosity - can be intense, even if a challenge seems unsafe or out of character.
📌Quick tips for Parents and Carers
- Notice what your child is talking about
- Ask open questions about online challenges
- Have open conversations
- Keep up with trends and digital news
- Report it
**TRIGGER WARNING**
Below is a video created by Internet Matters with Hollie Dance and Lisa Kenevan, parents of two young boys who lost their lives after it was believed they took part in dangerous online challenges. The mothers have since joined forces to warn others of potential tragedy.
