You have heard of the Ice Bucket Challenge, Tide Pod Challenge, The Bird Box Challenge, but of all the challenges on the Internet this just might be the most unsettling for parents. The most recent challenge among young adults on social media is called the “48 hour challenge.”
During this challenge children stage their disappearances for two days or longer. This isn’t a new trend on the internet. In fact, back in 2015 this was called “game of 72,” in which you go missing for at least 72 hours. According to the NY post, by participating in this event you are awarded points for every social media post mentioned while you are missing. Officers have mentioned that this could be a craving for attention from the youth. Not only is this challenge unsettling for everyone, but also distracts law enforcement from actually helping those who need it. Officials are warning parents that this challenge can be deadly, causing children to put themselves in dangerous situations just to remain missing for points in a game.
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According to the Working Mother website, a woman's child in the United Kingdom participated and not only went missing for 55 hours but was found in a different town. The kids didn’t understand the gravity of what they did according to the mother thinking it's just a silly things kids do. It’s important to talk to your child about the dangers of social media, and as always know what social media platforms they are using.
Luckily, there have been no known cases of this challenge in the Hudson Valley... Yet.
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For more articles related to the topic, click on the links below....
"Why Cops are warning parents..." by the NY Post
"Parents: Beware of the 48 hour Challenge" by WRRV