Netflix Warns Against #BirdBoxChallenge

Bird Box may have become Netflix’s newest success story — Netflix says the Sandra Bullock vehicle became the streaming service’s best first-seven-day showing for a Netflix film — but the thriller has also become a somewhat dangerous opportunity to garner internet fame.

In Bird Box, Bullock and other characters are forced to go about their lives blindfolded to avoid seeing mysterious forces causing people to commit suicide. In honor of their sacrifice, people are taking on the #BirdBoxChallenge, which involves blindfolding oneself and performing mundane tasks such as riding a scooter, climbing an escalator and ordering at the drive-through.

However, the results have proven to be mostly unsuccessful, as many videos include eventual so-called “epic fails.”

The challenge has even caught the attention of Netflix itself, with the online streaming service tweeting a warning to those hoping to participate in the viral meme.

“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,” Netflix tweeted to its users Wednesday.

Referencing the film’s child stars, Netflix further tweeted, “Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not 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 US (@netflix) January 2, 2019

According to Twitter, Bird Box has been tweeted about more than 8 million times in the past 30 days.

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Jan. 2, 11:57 p.m. Updated with additional stats from Twitter.