Netflix To Fans: Please Beware 'Bird Box' Blindfold Challenge Dangers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Netflix is warning people about a new internet challenge stemming from its new thriller "Bird Box."
The streaming platform issued a warning Wednesday on Twitter, asking viewers not to hurt themselves while attempting the "Bird Box Challenge," which has people trying to do everyday things while blindfolded.
Videos on the internet show some people attempting the challenge with troubling results: They fall over or run into walls.
"We don't know how this started," Netflix tweeted, adding that its only wish for the new year is that people "don't end up in the hospital due to memes."
Can't believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don't know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.
— Netflix (@netflix) January 2, 2019
"Bird Box" was released last month, and it stars Sandra Bullock as a mother trying to survive in a world where just seeing certain fictional creatures means certain death - hence the blindfolds on all the main characters.
Prior to the concerns about the #BirdBoxChallenge meme, Netflix bragged about the film's success, saying that 45 million of its subscribers watched the thriller during the first week it was available to stream.
Typically, Netflix does not disclose viewership numbers.