Police and government officials in Chile have warned parents about a sinister social media suicide game, which has been blamed for the deaths of more than 100 teenagers in Russia.

School parents have been warned about the Blue Whale Challenge, which calls on participants, via social media, to complete a dangerous self-harm challenge every day for 50 days before they are encouraged to “win” the game by killing themselves.

The tasks range from cutting a body part, listening to music and watching scary movies, local media reported.

Police in the port city of Antofagasta in northern Chile, received a complaint after a 12-year-old girl was threatened through Facebook when she became involved in the online game.

Police said the minor had received an invitation this week to play from a former school classmate. The minor’s parents were threatened by a game “administrator.”

This led the victim to advance to step five, which involved making 15 cuts to one of her arms.

News of the online game has been reported by several media outlets.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Thursday (April 27) launched a programme to strengthen cyber security in the country through a series of measures to create awareness among the population about the risks in the digital world, focused on the most vulnerable groups which are teenagers and the elderly.

It is believed the challenge was named due to the belief that blue whales voluntarily wash up on beaches to die.

Reuters