Wednesday, November 30, 2022

The dark side of TikTok

Here's today's Big Take.

Nov. 30, 2022

A photograph of Arrianni Arroyo in her family's home in July. Arroyo died at age 9 trying the "blackout challenge" that she allegedly found on TikTok.  Photographer: Dave Kasnic for Bloomberg Businessweek

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It's taken just a few short years for TikTok to dominate social media. Its viral challenges became a mainstay during the pandemic and have become a defining part of the platform. Some are harmless enough — like dancing routines. Others are dangerous — like the blackout challenge where kids choke themselves until they pass out. When underage kids easily slip through restrictions and find them, the results can be tragic. So why isn't the biggest app in the world doing more to protect children?

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Arrianni Arroyo died at age 9 after attempting the blackout challenge after allegedly seeing it on TikTok. Her family has since filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming it is liable in their daughter's death. Investigative reporter Olivia Carville explains how the company is coming up short on keeping underage kids off the platform. Also learn more about keeping kids safe on social media.

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