- Children are dying due to the challenges of social networks
- A 12-year-old boy turned into a 'ball of fire' thanks to the TikTok challenge
- Dangerous TikTok trends that adults should be aware of
Children are dying due to the challenges of social networks
Recently, the world has witnessed a dangerous phenomenon: children are being attacked by cars on the streets. Although specific data on the causes of this behavior is scarce, there is evidence that TikTok's influence is involved. The platform is already known for its fast-moving challenges, sometimes encouraging extremely dangerous behavior.
Similar incidents have been recorded in various countries.
For example, in the US and Europe, children took part in the "Blackout Challenge", a competition to see who could go the longest without taking a breath of air. This challenge reportedly eventually led to serious injuries and even several deaths. As of December 2022, at least 20 children had died as a result of this challenge over 18 months, seven of whom were aged between 8 and 14 years. The Skull Breaker Challenge, in which participants deliberately knocked their friends down, causing head injuries, was also notorious.
In general, the challenges ranged from inducing hallucinations by ingesting large doses of antihistamine (a drug with sedative properties), to building towers made of milk cartons to climb, to fire challenges using flammable liquids.
It is not for nothing that it is often said that, to protect children, it is important to inform them about the dangers of social networks and to encourage critical thinking. Parents, for their part, should monitor their children's online activities, discuss the content they see, and ensure that dangerous information is removed immediately[1].
Parents and guardians should be vigilant about current trends to reduce the risk of terrible things happening.
A 12-year-old boy turned into a 'ball of fire' thanks to the TikTok challenge
A child has been scarred for life after taking part in one of TikTok's challenges.
"Thanks to social media, my child is scarred for life," said a 35-year-old IT worker, referring to an accident just days after her son's 12th birthday. The latter is said to have suffered burns to almost 50% of his body. The scene was indeed tragic: the parents ran into the child's room after hearing his screams and saw their son's shirt on fire, which had melted on his skin.
Medics arrived shortly afterward and diagnosed the cause of the accidental self-immolation. The teenager was reportedly filming himself attempting a popular challenge, trying to light a spirit and create a homemade Molotov cocktail.
It adds that hundreds of children have attempted similar stunts in this challenge - many of which have ended tragically. However, it is hoped that the high-profile endings will inspire parents to warn their children about the dangers of such challenges. After all, on second thought, such challenges are aimed precisely at children who do not understand the consequences[2].
In fact, back in 2022, Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, was called to action for the above examples.
Despite precautionary measures such as removing videos from the platform, adding warning labels to videos, improving content moderation, updating the Safety Centre, and collaborating with experts, it seems impossible to guarantee 100% safety. The platform's large user base and the rapid emergence of new trends still make it difficult to eradicate harmful content completely. TikTok is said to continue improving its methods to ensure the safety of its users, especially its younger audience[3].
Dangerous TikTok trends that adults should be aware of
In the 2020s, the so-called coronavirus challenge spread on social networks, encouraging people to lick things in public. At the time, the # coronaviruschallenge hashtag on TikTok was viewed by almost 100 million, and almost a year later it has garnered 3.1 billion views.
The challenge to the eyes is yet another precedent. TikTok users allegedly applied hand sanitizer, bleach, and shaving cream to their eyeballs to change their eye color.
The brave also posted videos of them covering their faces with wax, calling it a "skincare routine". As if that were not enough, they also gave themselves hyaluronic acid injections, glued their canine teeth using disposable nail glue, tried to reshape their teeth with a file, etc.
