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3mo ago

TikTok Faces Lawsuit Over Deaths Linked to 'Blackout Challenge'

Families of four UK teenagers allege TikTok's algorithm promoted harmful content that contributed to their children's deaths.

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TikTok app logo on a phone
Jools Sweeney with his mother, Ellen Roome, who is suing TikTok to gain access to his account. She believes it may have clues as to how he died

Overview

  • The families of four British teenagers have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance in Delaware Superior Court.
  • The lawsuit claims the teens died in 2022 after attempting the 'Blackout Challenge,' a dangerous online trend involving self-strangulation.
  • The Social Media Victims Law Center, representing the families, accuses TikTok of using algorithms to target children with harmful content to boost engagement and revenue.
  • Parents have criticized TikTok for withholding access to their deceased children's accounts, prompting calls for legislation like 'Jools’ Law' to grant such access.
  • TikTok states it bans dangerous challenges and proactively removes harmful content, but families argue the platform failed to protect young users.