Online Challenges are fundamentally viral online trends that involve people taking part in or mimicking games, activities or dares. They often originate on apps such as TikTok but can then spread to a variety of other platforms. Sometimes these challenges are harmless and can even be used to promote positive causes or raise money for charity however far too often, these challenges can be dangerous and harmful. It is vital that children understand the real dangers that challenges can pose and how to respond accordingly. Talking to your child and helping them to understand peer pressure is one way to discourage them from acting before considering the risks. Sometimes we can indirectly draw attention to challenges by talking about them, so it’s best to avoid this by not naming the challenge directly or showing the content when you have conversations with your children. Taking time to pause and ensure you understand the online challenge yourself before discussing it further is always useful. As always, reminding children to be open about their online activity is paramount.
