MyIQ finds 68% of parents underestimate digital challenge risks linked to self-harm content.

A growing number of online challenges, ranging from trivial dares to darker, self-harm-related sequences, are quietly reshaping how young people engage with digital platforms. While the so-called "Blue Whale" phenomenon has often been dismissed as an urban myth or moral panic, new data from MyIQ suggests that real risk does exist, particularly when curiosity meets vulnerability.

According to a recent MyIQ survey of 1,204 parents aged 30 to 50, 68% rated their knowledge of harmful online challenge content as low or very low. At the same time, 42% reported finding such content on their children’s devices in the past year, and 11% said they encountered material that explicitly referenced self-harm.

These findings are supported by anonymized MyIQ case reviews drawn from voluntary user reflections and behavioural pattern analysis. In a notable subset of young users, researchers observed a clear trajectory: passive exposure gave way to repeated engagement, followed by emotional withdrawal and social isolation. While not widespread, this pattern appeared consistently in users with untreated depression or anxiety, highlighting the role of algorithmic amplification in reinforcing harmful content loops.

Rather than fueling panic, MyIQ frames the phenomenon as a preventable escalation. The analysis suggests that effective intervention hinges on three key strategies: detection, engagement, and escalation.

For detection, MyIQ recommends that parents conduct non-confrontational device reviews at least twice a month, enable in-app content filters, and regularly check platform permissions. Engagement should include structured conversations about digital curiosity, boundaries, and peer influence. If warning signs emerge, such as sudden withdrawal or fascination with specific content streams, parents are encouraged to escalate by seeking mental-health support and activating platform-level safety tools.

Importantly, MyIQ emphasizes the need to separate myth from measurable risk. While viral narratives often portray vast conspiracies, the data reveals something more mundane but dangerous: small peer-driven networks, sporadically moderated platforms, and recommendation algorithms that inadvertently steer at-risk users toward harmful material.

To address these issues at scale, MyIQ calls on technology providers to implement crisis-triggered safety nudges, clearer content reporting pathways, and faster response times for challenge-linked material flagged by users or guardians.

Digital safety is no longer just a question of screen time. As this data makes clear, it is about context, mental health, and the subtle forces that shape what vulnerable users see first. With targeted literacy, routine emotional check-ins, and deliberate parent-child engagement, the risk can be reduced before it manifests.

About MyIQ:
MyIQ was launched in 2024 and is used by over a million individuals worldwide. It is a digital self-knowledge platform that offers more than an IQ score, with over 9 million completed tests across the various test categories, cognitive, personality, and relationships, all with personalised, actionable insights. The platform offers over 25 brain games, more than 150 intelligence puzzles, over 20 hours of expert video content, and 300+ available lessons on emotional intelligence, problem-solving, innovation, confidence-building, and decision-making. Through its IQ test, full-spectrum personality assessment, and relationship insight quiz, MyIQ delivers structured, personalized feedback that helps individuals better understand their inner world and behaviour.

Media Contact:
MyIQ
pr@myiq.com
Sophie de Villiers
PR Manager