Parents warned their kids could be stripping for strangers on Fortnite in sinister challenge
There are huge concerns that kids who are hooked on Fortnite could enticed by twisted online sex games
PARENTS are being warned over an online "strip challenge" for the video game Fortnite.
A UK primary school has issued an alert about the challenge, which could leave children "sharing indecent images" online.
The Sun first documented the craze back in August, revealing how Fortnite fans were stripping off in YouTube videos.
A play on "Strip Poker", the Strip Fortnite challenge involves removing items of clothing for each kill in the game.
We found hundreds of videos – some with thousands of views – often including unwitting "girlfriends", who would strip depending on their boyfriend's Fortnite performance.
Now Middleton St Mary's C of E Primary School in Leeds has issued an urgent warning to parents over the craze.
"The School Nursing Team have suggested that we share the following information with you," wrote headteacher Naomi Wood.
"Many of you may be aware of the risks and concerns around children playing the online game Fortnite, which has a 12 rating but is played by much younger children.
"We have been made aware of an emerging trend, where people are playing strip Fortnite using webcams.
"The rule is that when you achieve a 'kill' (elimination) you have to strip off, potentially adding an additional risk from children being exposed to and/or sharing indecent images whilst playing the game."
Videos seen by The Sun sometimes include sexual dares, like twerking.
It's no surprise: putting Fortnite videos on YouTube can be seriously profitable, with top streamers raking in thousands of pounds a week.
What is Fortnite Battle Royale?
If you're new to the game, here's what you need to know
- Fortnite's Battle Royale is free-to-play
- It's available on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac, iPhone and most recently Nintendo Switch
- In the game, up to 100 players are dropped onto a fictional island
- Players are then forced to battle it out in a last-person-standing deathmatch
- To help, players can collect a range of weapons hidden all over the island
- You can also collect resources – like wood, bricks and metal – to build defensive structures
- The area you can play in on the island is constantly shrinking thanks to an encroaching storm
- This means players are forced together over time, until just one person survives
- The game also has a paid-for co-op story campaign
- It now has more than 200million players worldwide
The good news is that YouTube doesn't appear to be hosting any videos of underage Fortnite fans stripping off.
YouTube has a strict policy against sexualised content involving minors, and such videos would be removed.
But there's a risk that youngsters may be stripping off while playing Fortnite on apps that are harder to regulate – like WhatsApp or Snapchat.
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Fortnite has had its fair share of controversies over the past year.
The police have issued several warnings over Fortnite scams that try to trick gamers and their parents out of money.
We've also seen several instances of Fortnite porn being uploaded to the internet.
In fact, there's even an unofficial Fortnite porn parody online, with a storyline based around video game streaming online.
And there have been major concerns over the risks of Fortnite addiction.
One nine-year-old girl from Scotland was even taken to rehab, after getting so hooked on Fortnite that she played 10 hours a day, and even wet herself to avoid turning the game off.
Do you think Fortnite's creators should do more to protect children? Let us know in the comments!
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