Netflix urges viewers not to take part in the Bird Box challenge

A staggering 45m people watched Netflix's Bird Box over the holidays. The movie, starring Sandra Bullock, is a thriller in which the main characters must cover their eyes in an attempt to deceive the supernatural forces preying on their worst fears. The huge hit movie has spawned a number of memes already, including the #BirdBoxChallenge.

The challenge is simple: you blindfold yourself and see if you, like Sandra Bullock and the kids in the movie, can avoid injury as you go about your life.

Netflix, sensing the potential danger in this (or perhaps keen to stoke the viral flames even further) tweeted out a warning message raising awareness of how badly this could all go wrong.

“Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE,” reads a tweet from the @netflix account. “We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl” – a reference to Bullock's kids in the movie – “have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.”

You can see a selection of the challenge videos below. Unless you're already blindfolded that is.