Unveiling the Hidden Forces Fueling Dangerous Viral Internet Challenges
In a Neon-Lit Digital Era, The Allure of Danger: Unraveling the Psychological Pull of Deadly Online Challenges
By Ingo JacobsFacebookTwitterWhatsappE-MailPrintCopy Link
Stories about dangerous online challenges make headlines, not all positive - and sometimes with fatalities. Blame is often directed at platforms, yet media psychologist Benjamin P. Lange sees the root of the issue elsewhere.
Last May, in Auckland, a seemingly harmless competition ended in tragedy, claiming one life. Two young men collided during the so-called "Run-it-straight" challenge, where the winner was whoever remained standing post-collision. NZ police warned after the incident, "We urge everyone contemplating joining a game or event like this to consider the immense safety and injury risks."
The "Run-it-straight" challenge is merely one example in a line of new dares, fueled by social media, with the potential to end in death. The Blackout Challenge, where participants choke themselves until they faint, has claimed lives worldwide, primarily children aged 8 to 14. A 13-year-old girl from the Kassel district was one such victim. The Cinnamon Challenge, where a spoonful of powder is swallowed without water, has resulted in fatalities, including a four-year-old boy from Kentucky in 2015. The Hot Chip Challenge, where spicy chips are eaten, has led to hospitalizations for several teens. Car surfing, where participants balance on moving cars, has repeatedly resulted in fatalities.
The Desire to Dominate: An Evolutionary Perspective
Although media typically focuses on incidents involving young children, numerous studies and statistics show that a specific group is particularly susceptible to reckless challenges: "It's primarily young men," says Benjamin P. Lange of IU International University. "The competitive aggression among young men is very strong."
The presence of a rival, Lange believes, triggers this competitive aggression: "I want to win. The challenge here shares the same goal: It's about running towards each other, and whoever remains standing wins." At the heart of it all is status, attractiveness, and evolutionary advantages.
The fascination with such challenges transcends media; cultures without social media still witness similar behaviors, such as bungee jumping or dangerous stunts. That said, social media has made these dares more widespread, bringing them into the spotlight and making them almost contagious.
A Pandora's Box: Politics and Parental Concerns
While the blame often falls on social media, the allure of the challenges remains. Petitions in Germany propose a ban on social media for those under 16, and Australia has already enacted such legislation. Parents, educators, and experts warn about the dangers, yet the allure persists.
Lange emphasizes that this behavior is not new, nor does it stem from the media: "There are cultures lacking our media offerings where young men still perform dangerous stunts. One in ten ends up in a wheelchair. They still do it." Social media merely provides a new platform for these ideas to circulate.
Fighting Fire with Fire: A Controlled Battlefield
Social media platforms react differently to the issue. TikTok, for example, bans dangerous search terms and removes related videos. However, Lange argues that this effort to curb the spread is merely a pretense: "They thrive on traffic, clicks, viewer numbers, likes, and subscribers. That attracts an audience. If someone from TikTok or Instagram were to honestly tell me: 'We don't want to filter that out because we make traffic with it', I would say: 'Thank you for the honest answer.'"
A ban on social media is seen by Lange as ineffective: "This would only make it more appealing. Some boys would pay even more attention: 'That's not on TikTok anymore, but I've found it somewhere else.' That doesn't help at all." He suggests channelling the innate competitive spirit into regulated, preferably sporting contexts: "That could be combat sports, as long as it is regulated and someone ensures it doesn't go too far."
In the digital era, it becomes apparent that community and employment policies should address the escalation of dangerous online challenges, considering their societal impact and frequent occurrence among young men. Additionally, the lifestyle and entertainment value derived from these challenges on social media platforms warrant a reevaluation of the role these platforms play in promoting risky behaviors.
