The Transnistrian administration has warned the parents in the region about the danger of involvement of children, especially teens, in a virtual game that can lead to suicide. The parents are advised to analyze the content accessed by children and to react if something seems suspicious to them. A posting on the website of the Transnistrian ministry of education says the moderators of the virtual game exert psychological pressure on children by provoking feelings of loneliness, despair and uselessness, IPN reports.

Groups entitled ‘death groups’ register on social networking sites. The moderators bank on the psychical-emotional instability of teens and involve them in a dangerous game. Those involved are daily entrusted with a task, the final one being to commit suicide. The game moderators possess information about the adolescent and use this to exert pressure on him.

The parents are warned to take measures if the child sleeps insufficiently or, if the child goes to sleep early, to check if this really sleeps early in the morning. They should also check if the child does not have traces of cuts on hands and legs. Teens’ drawings showing whales, butterflies and unicorns are a reason for concern as these are a sign that the teen is isolating himself from those around.

When the child joins on social networking sites groups with such names as “Whales swim up”, “Wake me up at 04:20am”, “f57, f58”, “Quiet house”, “Rina”, “Niapoca”, “Whales’ sea”, “50 days until ...” and others, the parents should be on the alert and should see if the child does not have discussions with individuals from whom they get strange instructions on viber or other types of messengers.

The parents are urged to discuss with children and convince them that they are not alone. There was also launched a free hotline with anonymous calls 0 800 22 800.