Parents Sue TikTok Over Teen Deaths

The parents of four British teenagers who died in 2022 after allegedly participating in a dangerous viral challenge on TikTok have filed a lawsuit against the video-sharing platform.

According to the parents, their children—Isaac Kenevan, Archie Battersbee, Julian “Jools” Sweeney, and Maia Walsh—lost their lives while attempting the “blackout challenge”, a trend that reportedly encouraged participants to hold their breath until they lost consciousness.

A social media victims’ advocacy group in the United States has filed the case on behalf of the grieving parents. The lawsuit targets TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, holding them responsible for exposing children to harmful content.

In response to concerns about dangerous trends, TikTok has blocked searches for related videos and hashtags since 2020. The platform has also emphasized that it prohibits harmful content and challenges, redirecting users searching for such material to its Safety Centre for guidance on online safety.

The case, filed in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, was brought forward by the parents of the deceased teenagers. The lawsuit argues that the deaths were a “foreseeable result” of how TikTok’s algorithm operates.

According to the complaint, ByteDance allegedly designed TikTok to be addictive, using programming strategies to maximize children’s engagement. The parents claim this system exposed their children to dangerous challenges, ultimately leading to tragic consequences.

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