Venezuela fines TikTok over viral challenge deaths
CARACAS
The second vice president of Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), Tania D'Amelio (C), speaks about a fine imposed on the social network TikTok at the TSJ building in Caracas on Dec. 30, 2024.
Venezuela's highest court has fined TikTok $10 million in connection with viral challenges that authorities say left three adolescents dead from intoxication by chemical substances.
Supreme Tribunal of Justice Judge Tania D'Amelio said that the popular video-sharing app had been negligent in failing to implement "necessary and adequate measures" to stop the spread of content encouraging the challenges.
TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, was ordered to open an office in the South American country and given eight days to pay the fine or face "appropriate" measures.
Venezuela would use the money to "create a TikTok victims fund, intended to compensate for the psychological, emotional and physical damages to users, especially if these users are children and adolescents," D'Amelio said.
According to Venezuelan authorities, three adolescents died and 200 were intoxicated in schools across the country after ingesting chemical substances as part of social media "challenges."
TikTok's huge global success has been partly built on the success of its challenges -- a call that invites users to create videos featuring dances, jokes or games that sometimes go viral.
The app has been accused of putting users in danger with the spread of hazardous challenge videos.
TikTok's official policy prohibits videos promoting self-harm and suicide.
