So far, police say, the only evidence is dozens of panicked Facebook posts being shared by parents, warning each other about the game, and Emma's testimony, to suggest the challenge exists. The dare, dubbed the 'Game of 72', involves teenagers challenging each other to disappear without a word to their families for 12, 24 or 72 hours.Īuthorities have been alerted to the game after a 13-year-old girl from northern France went missing for three days.
In April 2015, the Daily Mail published a thinly-sourced article titled "Parents left terrified by cruel new 'game' on Facebook that sees children dare each other to vanish for 72 hours without telling relatives." As with other panics of similar nature, the article breathlessly described a "game" that sounded of no real interest to teens whatsoever and included scant evidence that participants were actually undertaking the purported challenge:Īn alleged Facebook game which sees children dare each other to vanish without a trace for up to three days is spreading panic among parents in France. In 2015, anxious parents feared that the paracetamol challenge would inspire their children to overdose on over-the-counter painkillers and in the same vein, the 72-hour challenge (also known as the "Game of 72") prompted concerns that kids were participating in a pointless and dangerous social media fad.
The ice bucket challenge of mid-2014 may well have inspired the increase in social media challenge fads but parental fears of largely non-existent practices such as " rainbow parties," vodka-infused tampons, bedbug smoking, and 'beezin preceded it. The idea that dangerous social media challenges are popular seems to be on the upswing. Origins: The growing encroachment of social media into every area of life hasn't necessarily led to a rise in foolish teenage behavior, but it does seem to be fueling misguided parental ideas about how teenagers conspire to spend their free time.