Families Are Suing Tik Tok Because Their Daughters Died Doing A Challenge

Nowadays, all children use social networks. Parents are aware of this part, but what they don’t know are the risks that come from improper use of these networks.

Arriani Jaileen Arroyo was 7 years old when her parents gave her a phone for the first time. Like everyone else, she downloaded the TIK TOK app and started watching videos. What she didn’t know was that she would become addicted to the challenges that were realized there.

Initially, the videos were of dance and songs. The family is being represented by Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC), which released a press statement on their behalf, the statement said, “Because many of these Tik Tok challenges involved eating and dancing, Arriani’s parents did not regard them as dangerous. “

On February 26, 2021, her 5-year-old brother found her unconscious sister. She was hanging from a dog’s leash she had seemed to affix to the door of her room.

He immediately went to inform his father who went to the emergency room. She was put on life support.

“She had been in this condition for at least half an hour in front of her 5-year-old brother. Testing revealed that Arriani had permanent, irreversible brain damage and complete loss of brain function, and her family made the difficult decision to withdraw life support,” SMVLC said.

In a similar situation, 8-year-old Lalani Erika Renee Walton received a phone as a gift from her parents.

On July 15, 2021, Rashika Watson, her stepmother, after they had returned from a trip, told her to go to the room and clean it, and meanwhile she fell asleep.

When Rashika woke up, she found the girl hanging in her room with a rope around her neck. She was still warm but when the police came they declared her dead.

According to SMVLC, both girls participated in a TikTok challenge titled, the “blackout challenge.” This trend encourages users to choke themselves using objects like belts, purse strings, or other similar things until they pass out.

Matthew P. Bergman, the founding attorney for SMVLC said, “TikTok needs to be held accountable for pushing deadly content to these two young girls. TikTok has invested billions of dollars to intentionally design products that push dangerous content that it knows are dangerous and can result in the deaths of its users.”

Tik Tok is for 13 years and older, but anyone can access it.

We offer our sincere condolences to the family and each of you should be careful with your children’s access to social networks.