JOIN USTexting your number neighbour is risky
Social media might not be the best place to look for logic and reasoning but it has been breaking its own poor track record for the past couple of months. Several ‘challenges’, ranging from silly to downright dangerous, have been doing the rounds on various platforms and youngsters are more than happy to try these out enthusiastically, never mind the consequences!
The latest in the series is texting your ‘number neighbour’. People are contacting their ‘textdoor’ or number neighbour, the person who has the same phone number as yours but with the last number changed.
For example, if your number ends with 568, you text the number ending with 567. Then you attempt to strike up a conversation and see where it goes.
Considering we have had people jumping out of moving cars or licking ice cream tubs and keeping them back on shelves, the latest Internet trend does not seem very harmful. But think again; you are divulging your details to a perfect stranger, compromising your privacy and putting yourself in a vulnerable situation.
Reshma (name changed), an employee in an IT company in the city, found this out the hard way. “I had a couple of drinks and so was not thinking clearly. My friends and I were talking about this ‘textdoor neighbour’ challenge and I decided to try it out. I ended up texting a petrol pump attendant and it was a nightmare. He didn’t understand the challenge, I couldn’t explain it to him clearly, and once he figured I was a girl, his messages became creepy and sexual in nature. I had to block him almost immediately.”
She feels that most Indians are not open-minded or ‘digitally-comfortable’ enough to accept such online challenges in the right sense. “And it is definitely not safe for girls,” she adds.
This is an extreme example of course; from the posts people are sharing on Twitter, the challenge can be at best a cause of curiosity or annoyance. Some people have become friends with the strangers they texted, others were warned of police complaints, some were asked to do something else to keep themselves busy and not annoy perfect strangers.
Experts list out some of the reasons why social media challenges become so popular:
1) They are easy and fun to do and most people just do it spontaneously, without thinking much.
2) They feed on peer pressure; if you don’t do the challenge, you might not be perceived to be as cool as your friends. And when everyone is talking about it, naturally you want to become a part of this insider community. Also, “if he/she can do it, why can’t I?”
3) Youngsters see them as a way to become famous quickly; the more dangerous the challenge, the more are your chances of getting a viral video there. It is also a desire to be a part of the popular or cool group.
4) Some of the more reckless challenges are a safe way for angsty teens to express their rebellion; it is the digital equivalent of spraying graffiti on public walls.
Here are some viral challenges that went too far...
Tide pod challenge: You had to consume detergent pods. Videos posted online showed youngsters chewing the pods and then gagging.
Kiki challenge: Hopping out of a moving car and dancing to the tune of Drake’s ‘In My Feelings’, while the car continues to move.
Blue Whale Challenge: One of the most terrifying so far. Users were given a bunch of tasks to complete, all of which involved some form of self-harm. The last task would be committing suicide.
Car Surfing Challenge: Balancing on top of a vehicle being driven by another person. Naturally, almost all challengers end up seriously injured or dead.
Bird Box Challenge: Inspired by one of Netflix originals, it required you to blindfold oneself while doing daily tasks.