16-year-old lady dies in France after viral TikTok ‘scarf recreation’ goes mistaken

By India Today World Desk: A 16-year-old lady died in May in France whereas making an attempt the viral ‘scarf recreation’ on TikTok. Considered a variation of the ‘blackout problem’, the sport has claimed a number of lives during the last 12 months.

The deceased, Christy Sibali Dominique Gloire Gassaille, reportedly tried the lethal social media problem at residence when she breathed her final on May 27.

As per a New York Post report, Gloire grew up within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The problem, as perceived on the social media platform, required one to lock fabric round one’s neck to forestall the stream of oxygen to the mind, i.e. to asphyxiate till passing out. The harmful pursuit is merely for alleged web clout.

The lady was interred on June 7, close to her residence in France’s Orleans.

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Notably, Chinese-owned TikTok boasts of a number of “games” akin to the ‘scarf recreation’ that restricts the oxygen stream to the mind, posing threats of significant damage, seizures and loss of life as proved. Previously, a viral problem on TikTok, the ‘blackout problem’, adopted this sample of in style choking challenges too.

A report by The New York Post urged {that a} seek for ‘scarf recreation’ on TikTok yielded a message of “no results found”. In truth, the video-sharing utility said underneath its tips, “This phrase may be associated with behaviour or content that violates our guidelines. Promoting a safe and positive experience is TikTok’s top priority. For more information, we invite you to review our Community Guidelines.”

OTHER DEATHS DUE TO VIRAL TIKTOK ‘CHALLENGE’

In January, a 12-year-old Milagros Soto handed away, once more, whereas making an attempt a lethal development with a makeshift noose. The stunt was reportedly filmed on digital camera and the aunt of the deceased mentioned that Soto carried out the stunt after she had obtained a message on WhatsApp with a hyperlink to the problem after she was bullied in school.

“I believe someone encouraged her to do it. She suffered a lot with bullying,” the relative advised The NY Post.

The incident was in Argentina.

Meanwhile, in 2022, two UK adolescents died whereas making an attempt the identical viral challenges. 14-year-old Leon Brown and Archie Battersbee, 12, allegedly died as a consequence of one among these stunts doing the rounds on TikTok.

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In the United States, the Chinese entity is going through wrongful loss of life lawsuits after two ladies in California allegedly hanged themselves upon viewing the “blackout challenge” development on TikTok. The lawsuit slaps TikTok with prices of pushing and enabling content material that it is aware of to be problematic and detrimental to minors’ psychological well being.

“TikTok has invested billions of dollars to intentionally design and develop its product to encourage, enable and push content to teens and children that the defendant (TikTok) knows to be problematic and highly detrimental to its minor users’ mental health,” the lawsuit reads.

TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, whereas testifying earlier than the United States Congress in March, had admitted that he wouldn’t be tremendous along with his youngsters enrolling on the applying.

Also, within the aftermath of deaths as a consequence of viral stunts on TikTok, the web has typically inspired its customers to flag such movies and customers who’re partaking in such challenges by clicking “Report” on the applying.

India’s thousands and thousands of TikTok customers had been ordered to cease utilizing the applying after the Centre had imposed a ban on the Chinese entity after skirmishes between the Indian Army and Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army alongside the LAC in japanese Ladakh in May 2020.

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