If you're one of those who are curious as to what teens these days have been doing online, then you should know that they're having fun with condoms.
Over the last week, teens from across the world have been going agog over #condomchallenge. Probably a tribute to the Ice Bucket Challenge, which was a huge success raising millions of dollars for the ALS Association and awareness of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative motor neuron disease, the condom challenge involves filling the condom with water and dropping it on the head of a willing victim. Because condoms have latex and they stretch, they can latch on to the entire face of the victim, who may end up getting submerged for a few seconds until the balloon breaks.
So far, there are already 5,204 videos and images of failed and successful condom challenges in Instagram. The number is also quickly growing in Twitter.
However, as early as now, some people including other teens have already expressed their concern when it comes to the safety of the challenge. Although there are no reported injuries or casualties yet, a number of people think that the challenge may increase choking and drowning issues especially if the balloon has latched on strongly into the face and it doesn't break quickly. It's also unclear whether the teens are championing a cause, which may make the challenge senseless.
Over the last few years, since the popularity of social media and the rise of teenage demographic using it, different types of viral challenges have already been criticized. Around 2013, the first condom challenge happened wherein daredevils snorted the condom and expelled it through their mouth, significantly increasing the risk of the condom getting stuck in the nose and blocking the airway.
Health experts have also called on the belly button, coin on the collarbone, and gap thigh challenges as potential contributors to poor body image and increased risk of eating disorders among teens.