Global Digital Citizenship

 Bird Box Challenge

What is it: After the premier of the Netflix original "Bird Box", users are performing everyday tasks blindfolded. This went viral with social media influencers, parents, and even newscasters participating in it. 

Real-life Scenario: On January 7th, 2019, a 17-year-old driver with a 16-year-old passenger collided with another car while participating in the "Bird Box Challenge". The car drifted into the opposite lane and crashed into an oncoming pickup truck, telephone pole, and sound wall. Luckily there were no major injuries, and it is being determined what the driver should be charged with. The tweet posted by the Layton Police Department, shown below, received more than 890 retweets and 1,800 likes in 4 days. Bird Box Challenge Scenario

This challenge is very scary and is a perfect example of a negative digital citizen. In order to prevent this, the roles of the people involved should include the following:

Students: Students should understand the difference between what is safe and dangerous IF they participate in this challenge. (Ex: trying different foods with a parent or guardian present vs riding a bike)

Parents: Parents should be aware of this challenge and express to their children why this is not responsible or safe. As difficult as it can be, parents should try to monitor their children and make sure they are being appropriate IF they do the challenge.

Teachers: Teachers should educate their students about the challenge. They should teach students about what is appropriate and not appropriate if they participate in it. They should also express the possible consequences of the challenge such as the article above. I think teachers could turn this into a lesson where the students and the teacher have a discussion about how they can safely participate in the challenge and what they should not do. 

School Admin: School Admin should educate their staff members and parents about this challenge. They should find ways to communicate the dangers of this activity (pep assembly, daily announcements, videos/PowerPoints for the teachers to share, etc.) to the students and explain potential consequences if they are participating at school. 

As we know, students of all ages are going to do what they want especially when they see the funny examples online. With so many people participating in this challenge, I think the best approach is to express how students can do this challenge safely and fun.