With over a billion users, TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps today. It was the most downloaded app of 2021. Seventy percent of teens in the U.S. use TikTok with more than a billion videos viewed per day. But not everything is fun and games. Some viral challenges can be dangerous, even deadly.
The Cha-Cha Challenge doesn’t sound bad, but it is! The TikTok trend encourages drivers to recklessly drive all over the road in time with music.
The Penny Challenge has been attributed to starting several fires, including one at a high school near Boston.
One teen died after taking at least 12 tablets of Benadryl for the Benadryl Challenge.
And last year, a 10-year-old girl passed away as a result of the “Blackout Challenge,” which encourages users to hold their breath or choke themselves to the point of losing consciousness.
And the Fire Challenge has left several teens burned, including 13-year-old Destiny. Her family says she was prompted to spray hairspray on a mirror and set it on fire.
One more trend parents should be aware of is the Mouth Taping Challenge. TikTok users claim that putting tape on your mouth before bed will force you to breathe through your nose, reducing dry mouth and improving your oral health. They also claim it will prevent snoring and help you sleep better. It could actually do the opposite and cause suffocation.
TikTok has taken steps to prevent dangerous content in their new guidelines, targeting dangerous acts and challenges, eating disorders, and hateful ideologies.