Death of 10-Year Old Italian Girl Linked to TikTok Challenge

POLICE in Italy are probing a potential connection between the tragic death of a 10-year old girl and a viral TikTok “Blackout challenge”.

The child was discovered by her 5-year old sister in the bathroom of her family’s home in Palermo, Sicily, and tragically died after being rushed to the hospital. Her phone was found on the scene and was taken for examination by investigators who suspect her tragic death may be linked to a viral “Blackout challenge” circulating on TikTok.
Doctors have warned about the danger of the challenge, in which young TikTok users record themselves getting a “high” from restricting their brain’s access to oxygen. It is often called “scarfing” or “the choking game” by TikTok’s legions of youthful users.
TikTok said it had not managed to find any content on its site that could have encouraged the girl to participate in any such challenge but was helping the authorities to investigate the potential “incitement to suicide”.
“The safety of the TikTok community is our absolute priority, for this motive we do not allow any content that encourages, promotes or glorifies behaviour that could be dangerous,” a spokesperson for the Chinese company said.
The tragic death of the young girl has provoked an outcry in Italy, with many calling on stronger restrictions on youthful access to social networks. “Social networks can’t become a jungle where anything is allowed,” said Licia Ronzulli, president of Italy’s parliamentary commission on child protection.

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