Two young people died due to viral social media challenges

Two young people died in Venezuela from causes related to viral challenges that circulate on social networksreported this Monday the Minister of Education, Héctor Rodríguez, who called on parents and representatives to monitor the content that minors access on the Internet.

“Today, unfortunately, two young people have left this landscape forever, everything indicates that the cause is in social networks and these challenges that have the purpose of causing suffering to families,” said the minister in a statement released through Instagram, which does not explain the circumstances under which these deaths occurred.

He considered that adolescents “are highly vulnerable to this type of provocation and that social networks appear to reward scandalous behavior,” which is why he called for reflection and “the search for justice” in these cases, without giving details. about the challenge that cost young people their lives.

In this sense, he asked the authorities to “investigate the events that occurred as quickly as possible,” while urging school directors and teachers “to be more attentive than ever to accompany” the young people.

He also urged families to supervise and “assertively guide their children, protect them from the media, and ensure proper family connection.”

Risks of viral challenges worry authorities

Rodríguez warned “about the dangers” of viral challenges on social networks, some of which – he recalled – “have left a significant number of injuries” in recent weeks in Venezuela, where multiple poisonings have been recorded in, at least, five schools for these experiments.

Last week, the Minister of the Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello, explained that they are investigating cases of “chroming”, a challenge popularized on social networks, especially among teenagers, which consists of inhaling toxic substances from aerosols, deodorants, paints and insecticides.