Netflix: ‘Please do not hurt yourselves with the Bird Box Challenge’

Netflix: ‘Please do not hurt yourselves with the Bird Box Challenge’

Move over, Tide Pods. People are taking risks for a new video challenge.

In 2018, the Tide Pod challenge prompted a major company to issue a warning about its products after hundreds of people, mostly teenagers, dared each other to eat the laundry detergent pods on video.

In 2019, a new film-inspired challenge is already making waves – and prompting warnings.

It’s called the Bird Box Challenge, based off the Netflix movie starring Sandra Bullock.

The movie tells the story of a mysterious force that decimates a city, and a mother and her two children’s journey to get to safety.

The twist: The family must wear blindfolds while trying to survive in the wilderness, because if they see the evil force, they will die.

The film has been viewed by 45 million people in the U.S. since its Dec. 13 release, prompting several internet memes and now a viral video challenge.

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According to social media posts, the person doing the challenge blindfolds themselves and tries to do everyday activities, such as cleaning the kitchen or walking down the street. The results aren’t hard to imagine.

People of all ages are testing their limits, and some parents are involving their children.

There have yet to be reports of any serious injuries, but Netflix issued a safety warning across its social media platforms on Wednesday.

The message had been retweeted 40,000 times by 3 p.m. that afternoon.


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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