Mission 6 of 6 · 6 min
Chain messages and scary challenges
Find out why you don’t have to forward a chain message – and who to tell.
Why chain messages go round
Someone made up the chain message. They want it to spread as far as possible.
So it threatens bad luck or promises good luck. But the message has no power. It doesn’t know if you send it. If you don’t, nothing happens.
You can just delete it. And don’t send it on, so you don’t scare your friends.
A scary message or challenge
Sometimes a message or a video arrives that scares you. Or a ‘challenge’ that you’re supposed to do.
What to do:
- Don’t do it and don’t send it on.
- Tell an adult you trust. You don’t need to be scared or ashamed.
- Can’t talk to anyone at home? Call a child helpline: 116 111 in most European countries. It’s free.
It’s not your fault if you get something like this.
Game: Chain message or real message?
Correct: 0 of 2Read the message. Tap the sentences that are trying to trick you. But one message is fine.
If you can't see anything suspicious, tap “I see nothing suspicious”.
Round 1 of 2 · Found: 0
A forwarded message in the class group chat
WARNING!!! Send this to 10 friends before midnight. Or you’ll have bad luck all year! If you don’t send it, you don’t like me.
The breakdown will appear here once you finish.
Quiz: What to do with a chain message?
Quiz · 0/31. A message says: ‘Send this on, or you’ll have bad luck.’ Is that true?
2. You get a message that scares you. What do you do?
3. A friend writes about a ‘challenge’. They say you have to do it. What’s right?
Talk together
- Who can you tell about a strange message when I’m not home?
- What will you say to a friend who sends you a chain message?
- Shall we write a list of people you trust together?
Tip for adults: Tell your child you won’t be cross about a scary message. Don’t mention specific ‘challenges’ by name or look them up together – experts say this is more likely to make children curious. For advice, contact the Safer Internet Centre in your country – they typically run a helpline. The EU’s Better Internet for Kids portal lists them.
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