The Dark Side of TikTok

For every relatively harmless viral moment on TikTok—from corn kid to butter boards—there are more dangerous ones. Like teens climbing teetering milk crates, sticking pennies in light sockets or cooking chicken in Vicks NyQuil. 

Some of them are even deadly. A new investigation by Bloomberg shows some kids have died attempting the “blackout challenge,” where users are instructed how to choke themselves in pursuit of an adrenaline rush. Some of the TikTok users who tried it and lost their lives were too young to even be on the app in the first place.