The #BlueWhaleChallenge and presence of suicidal ideations on Polish-language Twitter

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective The Blue Whale Challenge (BWCh), widely reported as a media hoax in 2017, was allegedly an online game encouraging teenagers to commit suicide. Method Google Trends identified the peak interest in the BWCh in March 2017. Tweets containing ‘suicide’ were analyzed, with each tweet reviewed for personal suicidal content. Data on suicide attempts and deaths were sourced from the National Police Headquarters, while hospital admissions data (ICD-10 codes F00-F99 and T36-T65) was collected from the Hospital Morbidity Survey. Crisis helpline data for children and adolescents (116 111) was also gathered. Results Between January 24 and April 10, 2017, 17,063 tweets containing ‘suicide’ were posted, with 240 identified as personal suicidal content: 65.7% expressed suicidal thoughts, 11.7% plans, and 1.3% encouragement. In April 2017, suicide deaths were higher among 19–24-year-olds compared to April 2018, while suicide attempts were lower among 13–18-year-olds compared to April 2019. No significant increase in suicide attempts was found during the BWCh period for individuals aged 0-18. Hospital admissions for T36-T65 codes peaked in 2017 for the 5–14 age group. Crisis helpline data showed decreasing phone calls and increasing chat messages from 2015 to 2020. Discussion There is no definitive link between BWCh popularity and a rise in suicidal behaviour nationwide. Despite widespread media coverage, there was no noticeable surge in suicide statistics. This study highlights the prevalence of harmful suicidal content on Twitter, emphasising the importance of mental health promotion, prevention, and support for social media users.