Italy ordered China’s TikTok to stop young children from using the app after the death of a 10-year-old girl who accidentally committed suicide during a ‘Blackout Challenge’.
Children under 13 are not allowed to use TikTok. But the Italian government regulator wants the app to block unverified user accounts until February 15, noting that it was easy for children under 13 to bypass the app’s registration rules, according to reports.
The unknown girl from Palermo, Sicily, was declared brain dead last week after attempting to take part in a so-called “Blackout Challenge,” which challenges participants to suffocate themselves until they pass out for a few seconds. The child tied a belt around her neck and accidentally suffocated herself, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.
Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the death, which has shocked Italy, and are looking to see if anyone invited the girl to take part in the challenge.
“Privacy and security are absolute priorities for TikTok and we are constantly working to strengthen our policies, processes and technologies to protect our communities and younger users in particular,” a TikTok spokeswoman in Italy told Reuters.