- So far TikTok has more than a billion active users around the world.
- Since its creation in 2016, it has seen exponential growth, especially among children and adolescents.
- Now he faces a legal problem because of the Blackout Challenge and the deaths of minors that it has caused.
Social networks have seen an important evolution in recent years. They went from being a medium used by a minority to becoming the preferred form of communication for people. Among the current options TikTok has established itself as one of the most popular but is now in trouble due to a new lawsuit.
Global growth in record time
What is most surprising about this application created in China it is the rapid expansion that it has had in a very short time. It was created in 2016, although after a couple of years it acquired the name by which it is now known.
It consists of a platform used to create and edit short videos. The customization options it offers are endless and therein lies part of its charm.
To date, it is an app that is used both as a form of entertainment and to inform. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has already ventured into this medium by creating its own account. It periodically publishes content related to the main health problems and is a new way to reach new audiences.
In that sense, the main audience of this application is made up of children and adolescents. They are the majority of users who create and consume videos. But now TikTok faces a lawsuit involving this sector of the population.
Everything was generated by the viral challenges that are constantly created on the platform. Broadly speaking, they consist of the recording and dissemination through social networks of a specific action. The problem is that they are often dangerous or endanger the integrity of people.
From children’s games to dangerous events
Specifically, the legal conflict was generated by the Blackout Challenge which has become popular for a couple of years. It consists of each person placing an object through their neck and tightening it enough to lose consciousness. It has even been seen that a person helps to obstruct the breathing of the person who accepts the challenge for a few minutes with his hands.
The goal is to cause the person to faint and then share their experience with others. But although it is quite obvious that it is a harmful and harmful activity, most of the people who accept this challenge are children.
The biggest drawback is that there have already been fatal cases with several minors who have required medical attention and have even died of suffocation. As a result of the foregoing, Several parents have already filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing it of being guilty of these events.
To date, two murder lawsuits have been filed against the social network in Los Angeles County Superior Court. In addition, there are other legal processes in other states, although in all cases the argument is that: “TikTok and its algorithm directed extremely dangerous and unacceptable challenges and videos.”
At the moment the company has not responded or shown its position. At the same time, it should also be emphasized that these types of viral challenges are not exclusive to one social network, but also occur on others such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Now it is a matter of time to see the direction that the investigations will take.