TikTok Trend Leaves Four Dead
By Movieguide® Contributor
Over a period of six months, Alabama officials have seen four boat jumping deaths—the result of a dangerous new social media trend.
“The four that we responded to when they jumped out of the boat, they literally broke their neck and, you know, basically an instant death,” the Childersburg Rescue Squad Captain said.
“The stunt is not new, with videos posted of people jumping out of moving boats since 2020, but more people are trying the challenge as they’re out on the water during the summer months,” TODAY reported.
“I think people, if they’re being filmed on camera, I think they’re more likely to do something stupid because they want to show off in front of their friends for social media,” the Captain told WPDE. “Do not do it. It’s not worth your life.”
Since TikTok launched, many people, particularly children, have died from its various popularized trends. TODAY reported:
Other social media challenges have caused harm or even taken lives, including the “skull breaker challenge,” where one TikToker said she had to get surgery after she stood in a line with her friends, who kicked out her legs from under her, causing her to crash onto the floor.
And in the “salt and ice challenge,” some users reported getting second-degree burns after putting salt and ice directly onto their bare skin.
When asked about these challenges, TikTok pointed NBC News to its community guidelines, which state: “We do not allow showing or promoting dangerous activities and challenges… and advising If you see a dangerous activity or challenge, pause for a moment to stop and think before you decide and act.”
Each time a TikTok-influenced death occurs, TikTok denies responsibility. Last year, Movieguide reported on lawsuits that resulted from TikTok’s lethal “blackout challenge” that took the lives of seven children:
The popular TikTok challenge encourages users to strangle themselves until they pass out…
TikTok continues to turn a blind eye to the harmful challenges and content found, and promoted, to young users of the app, making media wisdom and discernment more important than ever in the digital age.
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