SCP-5394-1 at time of discovery
Item #: SCP-5394
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Locating SCP-5394 victims is logistically difficult due to their isolated nature. Social media and other web accounts that have apparently gone unused for extended periods of time are to have their IP addresses traced. Local Foundation investigators must then follow up using appropriate cover stories, and question the potential victim regarding SCP-5394. Victims will be offered a course of psychological counselling prior to amnestic treatment.
Any SCP-5394 instances obtained must be kept in Faraday cages at Site 135.
Description: SCP-5394 refers to 2031 smartphones collected from around the world, categorised as SCP-5394-1 to -203. No patterns have been identified regarding brand, location, or year of production. Instances are physically identical to their non-anomalous counterparts.
SCP-5394 instances are most commonly found in the possession of people who:
- live alone
- have a small social group;2
- engage in much of their human interaction online;
- suffer from depression or anxiety (particularly social);
- are isolated;
- consider themselves lonely;
- are generally distant from society in some fashion.
SCP-5394's effects manifest around two months after the victim inserts their SIM card, and occur in several stages; firstly, a small number of text messages sent from or to SCP-5394 will not be received, despite having been confirmed as sent. These are typically attempts to initiate conversation between the victim and contacts already programmed into the device. This effect soon spreads to the victim's online accounts, including social media, emails, fora and/or any other communal sites they frequent. Gradually, more and more messages go unreceived.
After several months, the victim will be completely unable to communicate with anyone outside of face-to-face contact. Attempts to contact official organisations, such as their place of work, general practitioner, etc., will be unaffected. Beyond that, they cannot receive any messages, nor will any messages they send be received.
Rarely do SCP-5394 victims suspect any anomalous influence.
Addendum 3: Example of interaction influenced by SCP-5394
The below texts were recovered from SCP-5394-1, belonging to Harry Ramsdan. Messages are collated from his communications with Junior Researcher Claire Halloway at Site 135. Texts blocked by SCP-5394 are marked in italics, and have been determined through cross-referencing the two phones. Spelling and grammar has been left unaltered.
