Online challenges involve posting videos or photographs of people carrying out tasks that can often endanger their health or lives.
Overall, 26 percent of teenagers said they had taken part in an online challenge at least once. Eight percent said they had taken part once, 9 percent two or three times, and another 9 percent four times or more.
Boys reported taking part more often than girls. While 81 percent of girls said they had not participated, the figure among boys was 67 percent.
Around 13 percent of boys said they had taken part more than four times a year.
Authorities have previously warned about dangerous challenges, including the “48-hour challenge”, which involved pretending to have disappeared for 48 hours, and a challenge involving taking excessive amounts of allergy medication.
Following two school attacks and a separate case involving a teenager allegedly planning an attack, the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime is investigating whether the incidents were connected to online challenges. No connection has been confirmed.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the 15-year-old suspected of killing a school employee in Leszczydół-Nowiny was wearing a helmet with a camera and intended to film the attack.
(sp)
Source: PAP