Challenges shared on social media can be dangerous for children and teens, especially those who are easily influenced.
- In France, you must be 15 years old to be able to register alone on a social network.
- Between 13 and 15 years, an agreement of the legal guardians is necessary.
- Under the age of 13, it is forbidden to register.
The challenges are linked on social networks, and they worry the health authorities. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration warns about these games, dangerous for young people. Several cases of injury, and death, have been reported in the country.
Social networks: challenges that divert the use of medicines
“Social media trends and peer pressure can be a dangerous combination for your children and their friends, especially when they involve the misuse of medication.”warns the FDA, in its opinion published on 15 September. The organization cites, for example, a TikTok challenge that urged people to take high doses of diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter anti-allergy drug, to experience hallucinations. Two years ago, a teenage girl died after swallowing 14 tablets overnight.
More recently, a challenge encouraged young people to cook chicken with NyQuil, a cold and flu medicine. “The challenge sounds silly and unappetizing – and it is, announces the FDA. But it could also be very dangerous.“The American organization explains that boiling a drug can make it much more concentrated and modify its properties.”Even if you don’t eat the chicken, inhaling the fumes of the drug while cooking it can cause high levels of the drug to enter your body.add the FDA. It could also hurt your lungs.”
Deaths caused by challenges on social networks
For more than ten years, another challenge has been wreaking havoc. Called “breakdown challenge electricity“, “challenge choking” Where “challenge fainting“, it prompts users to hold or gasp their breath until they pass out from lack of oxygen. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it caused more than 80 deaths in its first years of use. existence, and others have been documented since its recent reappearance on TikTok.The social network is currently being sued for wrongful death after the deaths of three girls in Texas, Philadelphia and Milwaukee: all three had tried this challenge.
Why do children take up challenges shared on social networks?
For Titania Jordan, director of Bark Technologies, an application to monitor children’s internet activities, young people follow these challenges because they have a need for affirmation, reinforced by peer pressure. “Therein lies the danger, in immature children, combined with very powerful algorithms and the desire to be liked and accepted“, she explains to the New York Daily News. She recalls that Tiktok, like other social networks, is part of the life of adolescents: it is their way of following musical trends, sport or even fashion. But that wouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for the virality of the content. “There’s always been peer pressureunderlines the specialist. Now there’s the added element of views, virality and engagement whether it’s shares or comments..”
How to protect children from the dangers of social networks?
The Food and Drug Administration advises parents to keep all medications out of reach of children. But it is also important to explain the risks to them. “Sit down with your kids and discuss the dangers of drug abuse and how social media trends can cause real, sometimes irreversible damage.” continues the FDA. Although they may seem unnecessary, these conversations are valuable. “You think your child will never do this stuff…until he makes a mistake.“, warns Titania Jordan.