‘Nerve’ dare game in movie has real counterpart

Are you a watcher or a player?

So asks the fictional game in the new movie “Nerve,” which opens in theaters this week. It stars Emma Roberts (Eric’s daughter and Julia’s niece) as Vee, a shy teen who finds instant internet fame when she joins an online game called Nerve, sort of a version of truth or dare – only without the truth – played online.

In the game, users sign up as players to complete the dares, and when they do earn cash and fame. Others pay to be watchers. Vee kicks things off by kissing a stranger (Dave Franco) in a diner. From there, they complete dares together and naturally fall for each other (the film is based on a YA novel). Things take a sinister turn, though, when the watchers begin to manipulate them.

It’s a cautionary tale, of course, on the voyeuristic state of the internet. And although the game within “Nerve” is fictitious, an app that was released this week sounds very similar (although it is not directly associated with the movie).

Double Dog is a game that allows users to send and receive dares within the community on the app. They can potentially earn money after posting a video of the completed dare.

Users start by daring each other to do things. The app has suggestions that range from licking your elbow to writing your name with your left hand to streaking in public. You can also write your own dare. You can dare a friend or a random person selected for you. Users attach a worth to the dare, known as “bones” (you can play with real money if you’re 18 or older).

If that person decides to do the dare, he or she provides video or picture proof. They can also “double dog” the sender for twice the value, meaning the darer must now do the dare or pay triple. It goes on and on, and the game’s glory is to become a “top dog” on its leaderboard (oh boy!).

It’s pretty silly, really, and innocent enough – for now. Game developers swear the game has safety precautions built in. The site also allows users to flag and report any inappropriate behavior.

Because surely there will be none of that. Right?

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 8:04 PM with the headline "‘Nerve’ dare game in movie has real counterpart."