'Do not hurt yourselves' says Netflix as blindfold #BirdBoxchallenge trends

Netflix has cautioned fans about the Bird Box challenge as many fans have resorted to blindfolding themselves in line with the theme of the movie.

Bird Box mania has has taken the internet by storm since the sci-fi thriller premiered in late December, with many jumping on the hype.

Bird Box is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a mysterious force drives society to commit suicide. Malorie, played by  Sandra Bullock, sets out on a blindfolded journey to safety with her two children, named Girl and Boy.

The characters are blindfolded to protect themselves against an evil presence that prompts them to commit suicide should they remove the blindfold. 

Directed by Susanne Bier, the movie is based on the 2014 novel by Josh Malerman.

In the spirit of Bird Box, fans are sharing videos of themselves blindfolded pretending to be characters in the movie.

Netflix expressed concern that the challenge could lead to harm and cautioned fans to avoid it. One of the videos shows a toddler running into a wall while blindfolded.