Parents Petition TikTok for ‘Mirror’ Account Feature After Deadly ‘Blackout’ Challenge
Several children have died taking part in the viral trend, in which users deprive themselves of air
Loree Seitz | July 30, 2021 @ 5:07 PM
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More than 12,000 people have signed a petition to TikTok seeking “mirror” accounts for parents, which would give parents access to the videos their children are watching.
The petition follows the death of a 12-year-old boy in Bethany, Oklahoma, on July 20, who died after attempting to complete a Tiktok trend called the “blackout” challenge. The challenge prompts Tiktok users record themselves holding their breath or choking themselves until they lose consciousness. The boy was found unresponsive with ligature marks on his neck and died the next morning.
Parents Are Asking TikTok For Access To The Videos Their Kids Are Watching
Ugo Padovani / Hans Lucas/Reuters
Updated July 29, 2021 at 9:49 PM ET
Editor s note: This story contains graphic descriptions of self-harm.
A 12-year-old Oklahoma boy was found with ligature marks on his neck on July 19 after taking part in the blackout challenge, a dangerous trend circulating on TikTok wherein TikTokkers film themselves holding their breath or choking themselves until they lose consciousness. He was taken to the Oklahoma Children s Hospital for treatment but died early the next morning.
Tragedies like this one have led a group of parents to call on TikTok to let them see all the videos accessed by their children, to keep abreast of the dangers.
Updated July 29, 2021 at 9:49 PM ET
Editor s note: This story contains graphic descriptions of self-harm.
A 12-year-old Oklahoma boy was found with ligature marks on his neck on July 19 after taking part in the blackout challenge, a dangerous trend circulating on TikTok wherein TikTokkers film themselves holding their breath or choking themselves until they lose consciousness. He was taken to the Oklahoma Children s Hospital for treatment but died early the next morning.
Tragedies like this one have led a group of parents to call on TikTok to let them see all the videos accessed by their children, to keep abreast of the dangers.