Blackouts to flame games, how online dares are taking over school corridors

The reel looks like a hygiene tutorial. Two Indian teenagers stand facing each other, rubbing sanitiser into their palms. Then someone flicks a lighter. Their hands flare up in blue-orange flames, and they attempt a ‘fire handshake’.

The video cuts before you see how they put the flames out. Or whether they did. Several versions circulate online tagged #reelgoals and #fitcheck with up to 10,000 views. The comments range from “wow” to “gotta try this”. And just like that, a ‘challenge’ is born.
If the sanitiser stunt gained traction during Diwali, Christmas brought the #blackoutchallenge, also called the “passout challenge” or “the fainting game”, where kids were choking each other at sleepovers, terraces or playgrounds until they passed out for several seconds.

Scroll long enough and you’ll find Indian teens attempting these dares across Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Discord and Reddit. Some recycled, and some fresh bait for social clout that they’re willing to risk their life and limb for.