While senior assassin is fun for the students involved, the game can lead to some unforeseen problems. While some schools are against the game in general and don’t allow students to partake in the game, others don’t mind the game as long as there’s no association with the school.

The game uses water guns with the objective being to spray your targets with the water. Though this seems harmless on the surface, it causes the use of words like “gun” and “kill” to be used much more frequently in school settings. With no context, the sentence “I am going to grab my (water) gun to kill my target” is troubling and a cause of concern. With the recent uptick in school shootings, these words are a disturbing. This may cause anxiety for many teachers and students who are unaware of the game.

An alternative would be to use devices other than water guns to spray the water. Water balloons and water bottles are good alternatives, however such devices do not work as well and take away from the excitement.

The game is a popular topic of conversation which can be distracting in classes. Some teachers have expressed that the game causes a distraction for students because they are focused more about how to “eliminate” their next target than their current work.

Another concern by the students, parents, and schools is the personal safety and privacy of the students. Many students use the app Splashin to help run the game and in most cases, only your targets can see your location which is updated every 10 minutes. However, during “purges” (anyone can eliminate anyone) or with the purchase of Splashin premium, your location is live and shared with everyone.

Many students have expressed feeling a rush of adrenaline every time they leave their house. Conversely, others have expressed a feeling of paranoia because they are always on the lookout hoping their “assassin” isn’t out to get them.