High school students' experiences of viral challenges on the Internet

Abstract

This paper includes data from institutions such as UNESCO, the OECD, the Official Journal of the Federation, and the Ministry of the Interior (Mexico), and Internet publications. These data are used to contextualize the problem being addressed. Recent studies are also included that highlight the threats associated with risky viral challenges, understood as activities promoted on social networks that can endanger the physical or emotional safety of participants. With the information obtained from the aforementioned sections, the statement of the research problem was developed, the objective of which is to identify how adolescents participate in dangerous viral challenges.

Regarding the method, a descriptive approach was used, using a survey-based design, with the application of questionnaires that were answered by three groups of high school students and two groups of normal school students. The results highlighted the high number of hours spent on social networks by both normal school students and high school teenagers, and the latter, the negligence of parents in relation to the sites they visit on the Internet and their content, likewise, the participation of teenagers in viral challenges is seen. Among the conclusions, it is noted that teenagers, in a low proportion, participate in risky viral games and that they do so, mainly, by invitation of influencers and digital platforms such as TikTok.