Current Events > TikTok's Viral 'Blackout' Challenge Killed at Least 20 Kids in Last 18 Months

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https://www.thedailybeast.com/tiktoks-viral-blackout-challenge-killed-at-least-20-kids-in-last-18-months

The viral blackout challenge circulating on TikTok is still claiming the lives of children too young to be on the app, according to Bloomberg Businessweek, which found that 15 children age 12 or younger have been killed in the past 18 months, along with at least five kids aged 13 and 14. The challenge, also tagged as the pass out challenge, encourages kids to hold their breath until they fall unconscious, sometimes with the help of various objects like purse straps or shoelaces. It claimed at least 80 lives back in 2008 when it first appeared, but reemerged with shocking popularity in 2021 on the video app. Lawsuits attempting to place blame on TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance have failed, with courts deeming the company has immunity under the Communications Decency Act, which shields publishers of other peoples work.

Kids were doing this when I was in school 20+ years ago

This is just natural selection

DipDipDiver posted...

Kids were doing this when I was in school 20+ years ago

Yup. I remeber people doin this shit in school.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Next sentence literally says that it cost lives back in 2008.

Hell, in like 2003 a friend scarred the top of his hand doing that "melt ice on your hand by covering it with salt" thing.

Oh the choking game? That's been going on for decades. I remember that shit in the mid-00s >_>

Im not normally a blame the parents guy when it comes to stuff like this but if youre allowing your 12 year old (or younger) child to use TikTok, you need to be doing better as a parent.

I would consider myself pretty far from being a conspiracy theorist, but I heard a theory recently that Tiktok's algorithm is purposefully designed to promote more vapid and harmful content in the US (most notably these dumbass 'challenges') while it promotes more helpful / educational content in places like China and India. Honestly wouldn't surprise me if it was actually true.

This is what happens when the war on drugs succeeds.

masterpug53 posted...

I would consider myself pretty far from being a conspiracy theorist, but I heard a theory recently that Tiktok's algorithm is purposefully designed to promote more vapid and harmful content in the US (most notably these dumbass 'challenges') while it promotes more helpful / educational content in places like China and India. Honestly wouldn't surprise me if it was actually true.

If anything I'd assume it's because laws elsewhere make it so that to remain accessible in those countries they have to comply with certain laws and those laws typically prohibit or at least penalize things promoting well. Totally fucking stupid challenges, for starters.

gunplagirl posted...

Next sentence literally says that it cost lives back in 2008.

We were doing this in the early 90s, too. Make yourself pass out in class or at parties smh we were stupid and lucky.

I remember this back when I was a kid in the 90's. Stupid kids do stupid things, more news at 11.

Mannnn I remember this shit in high school. But I believe people would hold your artery to do it.

I just experienced something like this the other night, and it was scary af. I was riding my motorcycle to my parents house, to store it for the winter. Cold af on the highway. I was so focused on staying still to stay as warm as possible, I forgot to breathe I guess. Everything started going black and I realized what I was doing, thankfully.

Kaldrenthebold posted...

I remember this back when I was a kid in the 90's. Stupid kids do stupid things, more news at 11.

Yeah, and the choking game. This isn't new.

lww99 posted...

I just experienced something like this the other night, and it was scary af. I was riding my motorcycle to my parents house, to store it for the winter. Cold af on the highway. I was so focused on staying still to stay as warm as possible, I forgot to breathe I guess. Everything started going black and I realized what I was doing, thankfully.

Isn't this basically the beginning of Hotel California?

this isnt new in the slightest but you cant deny the ease with which the internet makes this far more accessible than it was when we were kids

lww99 posted...

Mannnn I remember this shit in high school. But I believe people would hold your artery to do it.

I just experienced something like this the other night, and it was scary af. I was riding my motorcycle to my parents house, to store it for the winter. Cold af on the highway. I was so focused on staying still to stay as warm as possible, I forgot to breathe I guess. Everything started going black and I realized what I was doing, thankfully.

Yeah one my dumbass did when I was like 21 or 12 required you to do something to get you winded like jumping Jack's and as soon as you stopped your friend would choke you. You feel extremely high for a few seconds and next thing you know your face down on the floor.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Isn't this basically the beginning of Hotel California?

lmao it does sound like it

Next they're gonna blame whip its on tik tok

My friends and I used to do that. We watched as one of our friends had a seizure from doing it

>_>

not smart

lol even as a kid i wasnt down with this luckily my frend group was like dude lets just smoke weed this is dumb

This reminds me of that other one that was popular for a while, where you would release all the air in your lungs and then someone would push on your chest and it was supposed to get you high. Pretty sure a bunch of kids died doing that too.

You can't legislate kids being dumb, but we should be doing a better job of not letting people put these dumb ideas out on a massive scale.

DipDipDiver posted...

Kids were doing this when I was in school 20+ years ago

We called them wall hits back in the 80s. Hyperventilate, stand quickly, another would grab the throat, out like a light, hahahawere so stupid. Pass the joint.