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Film board boss asks Google to take down deadly online game after teenager commits suicide


Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) CEO Ezekiel Mutua has written to Google to have the Blue Whale Challenge game taken down from all download sites after a teenager committed suicide in connection to the game.

Mutua in a statement said the KFCB had ordered for an immediate withdrawal of the game from all social media sites.

He added that KFCB had written to all internet service providers to ensure the game is not accessible in Kenya.

This comes a day after a teenager committed suicide in Nyamakima, Kamukunji after a challenge given to the teen by a game administrator dared the player to commit suicide.

Read: City teenager ‘committed suicide’ after playing deadly online game

The game has various challenges in the different levels that become tougher with the levels. In the end the user is dared to commit suicide.

Mutua in his statement said the recent death has prompted the board to write to different providers to make it inaccessible.

BLOCK CONTENT

“Anyone found allowing children to play the Challenge will be arrested and prosecuted in line with the Film and Stage Plays Act Cap 222. Under this act, it is illegal to expose children to any content that is suitable for adults only,” said Mutua.

He added that the board has written to Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms to block all content related to the game.

“The Board will liase with the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) to find ways of blocking access to social media gaming applications that pose dangers to children locally under the Child Online Protection (COP) Programme,” said Mutua.

He further urged parents to be vigilant and monitor closely the content that children access online and report any unusual behavior through the board’s hotline 0711222204.

This will not be Mutua’s first attempt at blocking online content. In 2016 he banned the media from playing a song that he said promoted gay values.

He wrote to Google asking that the video is pulled down as it was against Kenyan laws but the company just flagged the video as inappropriate but is still available to viewers.