Facebook probes '48 hour challenge game' after teen girl vanishes
Facebook is investigating a game called the ’48-hour challenge’, after reports linked it to the disappearance of a 14-year-old British girl.
The game involves children pretending to go missing for two days to ‘earn points’ each time their name is mentioned in Facebook posts, with extra points for likes and shares.
After 48 hours, the participant comes forward to inform everyone that they are safe. It is a variant of 72-hour game that was previously widely reported.
A spokesperson for Facebook said: “The safety of young people on Facebook is a responsibility we take extremely seriously and we are awaiting the links to investigate these reports to ensure we are able to take swift action if it is needed.
“We work closely with safety experts including the NPSCC, the UK Safer Internet Centre, Missing People, Childnet and many more to help young people have a positive experience on ‘Facebook, and collaborate closely with law enforcement agencies on issues regarding child safety.
“We encourage people to use the reporting tools available on every page on Facebook if they see content that concerns them, so we can investigate and take action."
On Monday, Belfast Live quoted a mother in Northern Ireland whose child reportedly played the 48-hour challenge.
“This is a competition and it’s sick,” said the mum, who remained anonymous.
“The anxiety it left our family in is unspeakable… I was terrified they were dead or would be raped, trafficked or killed. But these kids just think it’s funny," she said.
“There was not even a moment of remorse when my child was taken into police custody and when the police brought my child home. I could see posts of selfies from the police car.”
The mum added: “I’ve been told my child and friends are in the lead in this competition because they managed to vanish for 55 hours before they were discovered.
“It was just terrifying, and my child, who is 14, doesn’t seem to get it. They need a wake-up call, but I’m worried what that would be.”
According to the Daily Mail , on Thursday an 11-year-old girl went missing. It inspired an online search that was mistakenly linked to the 48-hour challenge.
However, her grandmother issued a warning against playing the game.
She said: “She just said she ran away with her friend. She is frightened now and I think she is starting to realise what she has done wrong.
“She didn’t know about this challenge. We told her about it and I do believe her but there are other girls in her school who are on Facebook.”
There have been various media reports about the game, and its predecessor. French newspaper the Local ran an interview with a teenager girl called Emma who admitted to accepting a dare called “Game of 72.”
However, Snopes, which fact checks urban legends, found the “Game of 72” to have been false — with no clear evidence it existed.
