25+ Dangerous Social Media Challenges Parents and Teachers Need to Know

The SmartSocial.com team closely monitors social media to identify the most dangerous trends and challenges that students are seeing—and often recreating—online. Our library of over 25+ Dangerous Social Media Challenges highlights the risky, viral challenges teens are posting, many of which can damage their safety, well-being, and digital footprint. These guides are driven by real questions and concerns from parents and educators, and we regularly update them to reflect the latest online trends. District Leaders — can request a partnership on this page to unlock full access to our research and resources for your entire school community.

The SmartSocial.com App Zones Help Parents
Identify Good and Bad Apps:

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Green Zone Apps

Green Zone Apps can positively impact your social media footprint (with parental guidance) and can help a student shine online.

Grey finger pointing right
Gray Zone Apps

Gray Zone Apps typically feature a lot of private messaging, disappearing content and group chats that are hidden from parents.

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Red Zone Apps

Red Zone Apps allow students to talk with strangers, often encourage users to act anonymous, and they promote bullying, anxiety and depression.

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Dangerous Challenges

Dangerous Social Media Challenges are viral social media challenges, that encourage teens to do dangerous acts for likes, views, attention, and subscribers

Dangerous Social Media Challenges
(Shared across multiple social media apps)

These are viral social media challenges that are popular with students on almost every social network.

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Viral challenges encourage teens to do dangerous things just for likes, views, attention, and subscribers. These challenges usually target students across several social networks and require them to perform dangerous activities. Students have to post proof of them partaking in the dangerous challenge on social media. Often, these challenges have serious repercussions and encourage students to behave in a way we have never seen before.

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22
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The Impact of Screen Time on Motivation, Health, & Academics (Live Session #4)

Bring your kids and learn how screen time affects motivation, health and academics while gaining practical strategies to set limits and reconnect as a family.

May
28
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El impacto del tiempo frente a la pantalla en la motivación, la salud y el rendimiento académico (Sesión en Vivo en Español)

Comprende cómo el tiempo frente a la pantalla afecta la motivación, la salud y el rendimiento académico, y adquiere estrategias prácticas para establecer límites y reconectar como familia.

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10
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7 Steps to Ignite Your Teen’s Motivation This Summer! (Summer Streaming Session)

Are you tired of the summer screen time battles? We have solutions to transform your teen's summer from idle to inspired!

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12
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7 Steps to Ignite Your Teen’s Motivation This Summer! (Summer Streaming Session)

Are you tired of the summer screen time battles? We have solutions to transform your teen's summer from idle to inspired!

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17
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Shine Online: Help Your Child Build a Positive Online Footprint (Summer Streaming Session)

Bring your kids and learn how students can use their social media accounts to help them Shine Online and better their future.

Jun
19
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Reduce Arguments with a Family Media Plan (Summer Streaming Session)

Bring your kids and learn how to set up a Family Media Agreement for your entire family in order to keep your family safer with technology and social media.

*Only for families in partner school districts or individual paid VIP members: simply attend the live event, join in the activities, and your family will be eligible to earn points and prizes to keep your family safe (while supplies last).