Dark side of TikTok exposed after it sparks two lawsuits with one death and the arrest of two teenagers

Get the Full StoryTikTok is one of the biggest social media platforms, with hundreds of millions of users in the U.S. alone. While it serves as a positive outlet for many, the app s darker side underscores the importance of caution and awareness while using it. TikTok challenges have been around since the app gained popularity, with users participating in viral trends including lip-syncing, creative stunts, and dance routines. Some trends have evolved into dangerous and sometimes illegal, such as the Kia Challenge scenarios, yet many continue to participate, which shows the extreme lengths some users will go to for social media clout. Recently, two Kyle, Texas, teens aged 17 and 19 years old were arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat. On the afternoon of Jan. 29, the two followed a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old as they walked home from school. They approached the children and asked if they wanted to participate in a kidnapping prank for social media. Thankfully, the children had the wherewithal to contact their parents immediately after the odd interaction, and the police were alerted. Officers from the Kyle Police Department confronted the teens, who said that they were attempting to recreate a prank that they saw on TikTok. Several individuals have faced arrest due to TikTok pranks, including one that occurred late last year. Charles Smith, aka Wolfie Kahletti on TikTok, went viral after uploading a video showing himself spraying pesticides on fresh produce at a Walmart in Phoenix, Arizona. He turned himself in less than 24 hours later and was charged with adding poison or harmful substance to food, burglary, endangerment, and criminal damage. In yet another TikTok-related incident, 20-year-old Mariska Nunn from Minnesota was recently charged with felony criminal vehicular homicide, months after being involved in an accident that left an innocent man dead. On Sept. 3, 2024, Mariska was driving home when she hit 81-year-old Dean Chadbourne, who was walking on the side of the road. Mariska called 911 and Dean was brought to the hospital immediately after the incident but died of his injuries less than an hour later. Initially, Mariska told police she wasn t using her phone while driving. However, she later admitted to watching TikTok videos at the time of the incident. This was corroborated by cellphone data the police obtained, which revealed she had been using the app at that time, complete with the time stamps, with the last activity recorded just one minute before she called 911. Mariska s obsession with the app and her recklessness ended in a tragedy that could have been avoided if she had just waited to get home before using TikTok. These incidents are not limited to the U.S. as similar cases have occurred worldwide. In Giza, Egypt, a TikTok prank took a tragic turn when two children accidentally caused the death of their friend whom they left tied up in a warehouse for three hours. In Venezuela, three children have lost their lives while allegedly attempting TikTok challenges. In one tragic case, a 12-year-old reportedly ingested tranquilizer pills as part of a challenge to stay awake. As a result, the Venezuelan Supreme Court fined TikTok 10 million for not having more stringent measures to safeguard its users, especially young children.

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