A deadly new challenge is raging on TikTok and has already caused the death of seven children. The goal ? Choking to unconsciousness. A bad ad for the platform, which continues to swarm extremely dangerous challenges.
This is not the first time that problematic and dangerous challenges have circulated on TikTok. While most of the time these are innocent challenges, such as beauty trends, cooking challenges or choreography reproductions, sometimes they are much more dangerous. An example is the Skullbreaker challenge, which consists of making someone jump – without necessarily telling them what is going to happen – so that two other people kick them in the legs to make them fall backward. The falling person hits their skull against the concrete, which can cause paralysis or concussion. Currently, users have to film themselves spraying deodorant spray on a part of their body for as long as possible. Unfortunately, the cold causes burns, which can range from a simple red mark to the need for a skin graft. The most disturbing is undoubtedly the Labello challenge: each time the person is feeling bad, they put a little Labello on their lips. When the stick is exhausted, she must… end her life.
All of these challenges are dangerous for younger users, who may not be aware of the risks and just want to emulate those they admire. If others are doing it, why not them? Except that the outcome can be disastrous, as with the Blackout challenge.
Blackout challenge: seven deaths by strangulation
The Blackout challenge consists of strangling or being strangled in front of your camera until you lose consciousness, which is supposed to cause thrills. The challenge encourages users to use a belt, chain or rope. What is obviously not specified in the videos is that deliberately interrupting the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain can have very serious consequences. Any activity that deprives the brain of oxygen can cause brain cell destruction, which can lead to permanent loss of neurological function, lifelong mental disability, and even death.
A lawsuit filed against TikTok in June says at least seven children died last year while trying to complete the challenge, which “encourages users to choke on belts, purse strings, or the like until they pass outAll of the children who died were under the age of 15. The most recent cases are those of Lalani Walton, 8, and Arriani Arroyo, 9, whose parents filed a lawsuit against the Chinese company, as reported. The Verge. Indeed, the two children died trying to film this challenge, which was totally unknown to the parents; this is why they accuse TikTok of not regulating the content circulating on the platform sufficiently.
Little Arriani self-suffocated with the dog’s leash. As for Lalani, she was found by her mother-in-law”hanging from her bed with a rope around her neck“. According to the parents’ lawyer, Matthew Bergman, she thought that “if she posted a video of herself doing the ‘Blackout challenge’, she would be famous. So she decided to try.” TikTok has of course reacted by removing the #blackoutchallenge from the search bar. Now, when someone types this mention on the platform, they come across the following message: “Your safety matters. Some challenges posted online are dangerous, even fabricated. Learn to recognize them to protect your health and well-being“. It is then redirected to a in-app page on the assessment of challenges and warnings. Unfortunately, even if the videos are deleted after being reported, they still appear in the News Feed without the mention “Blackout challenge”. Besides, TikTok videos are shared on other networks like Twitter and Instagram. Even if the Chinese firm manages to completely banish this challenge from its platform, another will take its place, and history will repeat itself.
The TikTok algorithm questioned
The TikTok algorithm is also singled out by the complaint. Indeed, the families’ attorney, Matthew Bergman, says the two recently deceased children weren’t looking for that challenge when they saw the videos. TikTok would have suggested them to them on the app’s main screen, on the For You page. He accuses the company of having “specifically organized and determined that these Blackout challenge videos – videos featuring users deliberately choking themselves unconscious – are appropriate and suitable for young children“.”The extent of the damage caused by addiction to TikTok products is terrifying. These range from simple distraction at the expense of schooling, sports and in-person socializing, to loss of sleep, severe depression, anxiety, self-harm and accidental death related to the ‘Blackout challenge’ or suicide.“, laments Matthew Bergman.
Faced with these accusations, TikTok spokesperson Mahsau Cullinane told People that “this disturbing ‘challenge’, which people seem to know about from sources other than TikTok, long predates its release on the platform and has never trended on TikTok. We remain vigilant in our commitment to user safety and will immediately remove related content if found. Our deepest condolences go out to the family for their tragic loss..”
This is not the first time that TikTok has been blamed for its effect on younger people. Already in 2019, it had to pay $5.7 million following accusations by the Federal Trade Commission, according to which the social network had allowed users under the age of 13 to register without the authorization of a parent. A year later, the platform introduced Family Pairing mode, which allows parents to link their accounts to those of their children and control how much content they see and how much time they can spend on the app. .