Netflix's Squid Game - Safeguarding Concerns

Due to the popularity of Netflix’s most recent viral show, Squid Game, it has been concerning to see and hear so many of our children discussing and playing some of the games that are part of the show.

The children that attend our school are too young to watch Squid Game and need to be protected from it's content.

We have found this Safeguarding Update that highlights the main risks and concerns that parents and carers need to be aware of.

What is Squid Game?
Squid Game is a South Korean television series streaming on Netflix. The plot centres on a group of adult debtors, thieves, and gamblers competing against each other in a series of childhood games for a grand cash prize. However, there is a dark twist to these seemingly innocent games – losing competitors are violently killed off in ways that grow more twisted as the games grow more intense. 

Since its release in September 2021, Squid Game has become number one across 90 different countries in Netflix’s ranking of most watched TV shows. It has been number one in the UK for thirteen consecutive days since its release. 

Harmful Content in the Show  

Currently, Squid Game has a rating of 15+ as the visual content includes high levels of gore, death, violence, and physical assault. It also has graphic depictions of suicide, murder, and sexual assault.

Children and young people are likely to know about the show via word of mouth and because it is so popular on social media. They may be unaware of the extent of gore, death, and violence the show contains. It also focuses on adult themes that are not appropriate for younger sensibilities. For young people who live with mental health issues, they may be triggered by some of the content.

The aesthetic of Squid Game, especially in promotional images and material, appears innocent and childlike. This is to provide a clash with the excessively violent content that is meant to be jarring and unsettling to viewers.

Parents and carers should be aware that video content from this show is found on TikTok, which could also increase their interest in watching the show. Remember: even if you restrict the young person in your care from watching Squid Game, they may be able to access content on other social media platforms.

The Risks of Rough Play

Due to the overwhelming popularity of Squid Game and its challenge-based plot, many of the themes within the show have become popular on social media platforms. Depictions of these games have started to become popular as people film themselves recreating them – without the murderous outcome. The most popular are:

Red Light, Green Light: Players attempt to reach a spot in the allotted time in a stop-start fashion. A particular image from the show being recreated from the show involves the giant doll-like robot that runs this game and monitors any movement.

Honeycomb Game: Players must cut out one of four shapes in a thin disc of honeycomb using a needle without breaking the shape. This has become popular on TikTok.

It’s unlikely that children and young people would have the means to entirely recreate the games featured in the show. A lot of them include specialised weapons, sets, and equipment. However, there is a concern that a child or young person may unintentionally put themselves in harm’s way by trying to recreate a small portion of the games. 

Some reports have seen children using physical violence in the playground to ‘punish’ losers as a substitute for the player losing their life**. If a child attempts to recreate the Honeycomb Game, there is a risk of burns from caramelised sugar if they attempt to make the honeycomb themselves. Some users have also tried heating sharp objects over flames like characters in the show to make cutting an image out of honeycomb easier.

** This is not something we are currently seeing at Drapers Mills Primary Academy. 

How can parents / carers protect children from seeing these 15+ images?

Our advice would be the following: -

* constantly monitor what they are watching online. Netflix have provided the following video to show how parental controls can be used effectively - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s8oGDxT824 

* listen out for any reference that your child(ren) make about Squid Game and determine where they have heard it / seen it. This may enable you to control what they see/hear.

Thank you all for your understanding and if you have any concerns, please feel free to contact the school. 

Thank you. 

Mr J Manclark

Headteacher.