And how exactly do you stop your kids from seeing the phone of some other kid? It's not as if a kid personally needs to have a phone to be able to see a TikTok video.This is dead easy to solve. Don't give your young children a phone and exercise constraints on when or where they can use other devices like games or computers.I'm still going to jump in with the "parents should take some responsibility for parenting" angle. I'm not saying TikTok shouldn't have taken the video down (although they are protected by Section 320) but how and why were these kids allowed to access and "become addicted" to TikTok? My daughter sure as hell didn't have access to social media, etc. at 8 or 9 years old.
Today, 50% of US children have a phone (and, because this is the 2020s, it'll be a smartphone; and, because Google like money, it will be a smartphone on which it is difficult to prevent Youtube access or app installation) by the age of seven.
For the 'watch them constantly' people, remember that parents often have two or more children, that children above the age of two can move about under their own power, and that children of any age would often rather not always be in the same room as each other and their parents.
It really is that easy. Our girls didn't get a phone until they were 13 and they didn't have a television or computer in their own bedrooms until they could buy their own. Sure they whinged about it solidly from maybe age 10 but hey, parents have responsibilities and we explained why. By 13 we'd had all the necessary conversations, and so had the school (which by the way, is one of the few state schools that doesn't allow any use of phones in school for anyone aged under 18 and hasn't so far undergone societal collapse).
This is not rocket science and although there are always going to be tragedies like these in the article, and sometimes it will make sense to prosecute or legislate, eventually parents do actually have to be responsible. (Someone else has already made the point that just because other parents are too lazy or daft or don't care doesn't mean you have to follow the herd.)
I hope no one lets you near a ballot box or legislature.. This kind of crap is why abortion should not only be legal but, in some cases, mandatory.
I saw this one the other day, very tragic.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
As an electrical engineer I can tell you that I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole (even of known insulative quality) - I certainly have the knowledge and skills to make a "safe" wood burning device for this, but the price of a mistake in design or implementation is quite high.
I happened on a video a while back that showed steps for making a tack welder out of a microwave transformer and was really disturbed by the lack of care about safe handling of very deadly electrical currents.
Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
My daughter sure as hell didn't have access to social media, etc. at 8 or 9 years old.
My brain isn't working so maybe it is there, but I couldn't find an explanation of what the Blackout Challenge is. Did I overlook it in the article?
My daughter sure as hell didn't have access to social media, etc. at 8 or 9 years old.
That's not actually a very good way to protect her. As people have pointed out, she WILL see that stuff even if you don't know about it and even if it's not very often.
Better is to make sure that, by 8 or 9 years old, she knows that the Internet is full of fakes and idiots, and anything that seems dodgy probably is. And specifically that anything labelled as a "challenge" is trying to get you to do something moronic and self destructive.
A non-negligible fraction of people will also just die from strangulation even if removed at loss of conciousness. There are all kinds of ways to die - clots, heart conditions, and strange brain stem stuff (similar to how some people just seem to croak under anesthesia).In general the way this practice avoids death is that the method of restricting oxygen to the brain "fails safe", when you pass out you can't continue restricting oxygen and you recover. Note that this still leaves substantial room for injuries incurred by the uncontrolled fall when passing out (there's a fairly infamous video of a group of preteen boys trying this a smashing straight through the living-room's glass coffee-table). The big danger comes when either a friend is applying the restriction or especially when an apparatus like a rope is used. As evidenced by the fact that kids are actually trying the challenge, kids don't tend to realize just how dangerous passing out from lack of oxygen is and can end up holding the restriction on their friend for an extra 20 seconds or so after they pass out, putting them well into danger territory. With rope it tends to be that in passing out inadvertently put more tension on the rope, ensuring you won't wake up unless a bystander intervenes.My brain isn't working so maybe it is there, but I couldn't find an explanation of what the Blackout Challenge is. Did I overlook it in the article?
Given that the first sentence uses the phrase "self-strangulation", I imagine that this challenge involves cutting off oxygen to one's brain in the pursuit of internet clout. How this hasn't resulted in more deaths/emergency room visits than it already has is beyond me, considering how often people seem to emulate what they see on TikTok.
There's also an insidious element to these blackout games in that you experience a rush of euphoria when you come to that can tempt you to keep trying it.
Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I agree with your point.
I believe the original video is back up for anyone who is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzosDKcXQ0I&t=708s
When I heard of this I thought there was some sneakily dangerous aspect to this. But like, its pretty obvious that this is super dangerous (similar to people asphyxiating themselves on this story). So many "I almost tried this I didn't think it was dangerous" comments really make me lose faith in people. Sticking a fork in an electrical outlet is safe compared to what is going on here. Maybe that's just my electrical engineering background talking.
I believe that was a challenge. There were stories about house fires from it.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I agree with your point.
I believe the original video is back up for anyone who is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzosDKcXQ0I&t=708s
When I heard of this I thought there was some sneakily dangerous aspect to this. But like, its pretty obvious that this is super dangerous (similar to people asphyxiating themselves on this story). So many "I almost tried this I didn't think it was dangerous" comments really make me lose faith in people. Sticking a fork in an electrical outlet is safe compared to what is going on here. Maybe that's just my electrical engineering background talking.
Careful, you might give some teen an idea for a TikTok "fork challenge".
Also, for those wondering about the wood burning thing that was spreading on YouTube (that YouTube is apparently TRYING to actively spread):
https://youtu.be/wzosDKcXQ0I
Follow up (and in case the original is taken down again): https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
It IS your EE background talking.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I agree with your point.
I believe the original video is back up for anyone who is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzosDKcXQ0I&t=708s
When I heard of this I thought there was some sneakily dangerous aspect to this. But like, its pretty obvious that this is super dangerous (similar to people asphyxiating themselves on this story). So many "I almost tried this I didn't think it was dangerous" comments really make me lose faith in people. Sticking a fork in an electrical outlet is safe compared to what is going on here. Maybe that's just my electrical engineering background talking.
My daughter sure as hell didn't have access to social media, etc. at 8 or 9 years old.
That's not actually a very good way to protect her. As people have pointed out, she WILL see that stuff even if you don't know about it and even if it's not very often.
Better is to make sure that, by 8 or 9 years old, she knows that the Internet is full of fakes and idiots, and anything that seems dodgy probably is. And specifically that anything labelled as a "challenge" is trying to get you to do something moronic and self destructive.
It's not an either/or. You can do both. And social media access at 8 or 9 years old is idiotic.
We used to do something like that. Not strangulation, but something similar that caused blackout. We were lucky I guess.
I saw this one the other day, very tragic.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
As an electrical engineer I can tell you that I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole (even of known insulative quality) - I certainly have the knowledge and skills to make a "safe" wood burning device for this, but the price of a mistake in design or implementation is quite high.
I happened on a video a while back that showed steps for making a tack welder out of a microwave transformer and was really disturbed by the lack of care about safe handling of very deadly electrical currents.
Wow. Making a welder from it? That's absurd.
It IS your EE background talking.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I agree with your point.
I believe the original video is back up for anyone who is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzosDKcXQ0I&t=708s
When I heard of this I thought there was some sneakily dangerous aspect to this. But like, its pretty obvious that this is super dangerous (similar to people asphyxiating themselves on this story). So many "I almost tried this I didn't think it was dangerous" comments really make me lose faith in people. Sticking a fork in an electrical outlet is safe compared to what is going on here. Maybe that's just my electrical engineering background talking.
The average person out there has very limited knowledge of electricity, how it flows, what voltage/current mean, and especially how dangerous it can be when mishandled.
Even people who are residential electricians are often dangerously ignorant in areas that are outside the standard voltage and current scales seen during their daily occupation.
Hell, even for myself, I ducked out of the power/circuits direction of EE as early as course requirements let me, so I am well aware there are huge areas dealing with high voltages and high currents that I am unfamiliar with the properties. Thus, I avoid messing with them.
My brain isn't working so maybe it is there, but I couldn't find an explanation of what the Blackout Challenge is. Did I overlook it in the article?
It's actually a really old thing. I remember in the 90s when I first heard of it (then just called "blackout") with the goal being to see stars or something when blacking out. Even then eventually the news started reporting on it.
Then in the mid 2000s I heard from a young cousin of something called "space monkey" which was the same thing, only they called it that because supposedly when blacking out you'd see outer space. I'd say that iteration was more dangerous because it actively encouraged to have someone else strangle you. Apparently this is a thing that's been existing among kids and teens for decades. You'd think at some point it would kinda naturally snuff itself out as a trend, but I see somehow it keeps persisting.
On that note, these parents definitely share some responsibility when it comes to their kids using TikTok. Sure, TikTok might be addicting, but it's not like 10 year olds have the money or transportation means to use a smartphone / tablet / etc. Or the means to support any addiction they might have really. If a kid is addicted to something, you literally just... Take it away.
A house fire is really the least of your worries. A microwave transformer will happily kill your ass dead and there is absolutely nothing there to protect you.I believe that was a challenge. There were stories about house fires from it.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I agree with your point.
I believe the original video is back up for anyone who is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzosDKcXQ0I&t=708s
When I heard of this I thought there was some sneakily dangerous aspect to this. But like, its pretty obvious that this is super dangerous (similar to people asphyxiating themselves on this story). So many "I almost tried this I didn't think it was dangerous" comments really make me lose faith in people. Sticking a fork in an electrical outlet is safe compared to what is going on here. Maybe that's just my electrical engineering background talking.
Careful, you might give some teen an idea for a TikTok "fork challenge".
Also, for those wondering about the wood burning thing that was spreading on YouTube (that YouTube is apparently TRYING to actively spread):
https://youtu.be/wzosDKcXQ0I
Follow up (and in case the original is taken down again): https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
No disagreement on parental responsibility being applicable, certainly. I'm talking towards the viewpoint that parental responsibility is the only, or even majority factor.Before the "parents shouldn't have let them use TikTok" comments flood in:
We decided as a society a ways back that parental responsibility did not give companies free-reign to market harmful items to minors.
Such as "Joe Cool" a cartoon camel advertising cigarettes: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/pr ... w-ftc-says
There's certainly a need to prove (in court) that TikTok is addictive to children, and further that TikTok knowingly engages in pushing this addictiveness towards children.
But parental responsibility is not a shield for companies trying to entice children into harmful addiction generally.
Parental responsibility is not a shield and TikTok should be prosecuted for the crime of marketing an addictive and dangerous product to children. But if TikTok is responsible for the death of the children aged far too young to be using an addictive product (they are), the parents also share responsibility. A parent that gave a 8 year old a cigarette would be negligent (at best). The same applies to TikTok which is far more addictive as anyone who has spent any time on it knows.
Both TikTok and the parents can be in the wrong here, and are.
I downplay parental responsibility relative to corporate because of the difficulties that even a responsible parent is up against. Sure, maybe you don't let your child use TikTok, but then they go to school, and kids on the playground, or they visit a friend and those parents allow TikTok.
An excessive focus on parental responsibility leads to helicopter parenting, as parents are forced to monitor every minute of the child's life or risk being liable for irresponsible parenting if their child comes to harm.
Helicopter parenting is itself not healthy for either parents or children, and if we want to avoid that, then we must have some level of overall agreement that there is a wider responsibility of others in society towards children, including corporations.
So if a child goes to a friends place and their parent gives them a Bud Light and something happens to that child, is the responsibility on the parent, or Budweiser? It's a different world, and parents aren't adapting fast enough. I think part of it is that those (like me, although I don't have kids) grew up just as technology was starting, and we all did things that we shouldn't have with it. We aren't translating that to today, where we should know some tech is dangerous and we shouldn't give our kids, or our kids friends, access to everything that they want.
Before the "parents shouldn't have let them use TikTok" comments flood in:
We decided as a society a ways back that parental responsibility did not give companies free-reign to market harmful items to minors.
Such as "Joe Cool" a cartoon camel advertising cigarettes: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/pr ... w-ftc-says
There's certainly a need to prove (in court) that TikTok is addictive to children, and further that TikTok knowingly engages in pushing this addictiveness towards children.
But parental responsibility is not a shield for companies trying to entice children into harmful addiction generally.
Do we care about dead kids ? 50 kids under 2 get run over every week by cars reversing from drive ways in the US, that's just driveways. The Netherlands blocked cites, rolled cars over and protested to remove cars becase of it. The biggest cause of deaths for kids, after cars in the US, is guns. So I am.not sure why the angst about TikTok.
Then we have the entire food industry, Happy Meals and other such things promoting obesity. I am sure if you asked TikTok if they are ok that kids are dieing they'd genuinely say no, just like Ruger, McDonalds or Ford would.
I think they meant a fork in the outlet.A house fire is really the least of your worries. A microwave transformer will happily kill your ass dead and there is absolutely nothing there to protect you.I believe that was a challenge. There were stories about house fires from it.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I agree with your point.
I believe the original video is back up for anyone who is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzosDKcXQ0I&t=708s
When I heard of this I thought there was some sneakily dangerous aspect to this. But like, its pretty obvious that this is super dangerous (similar to people asphyxiating themselves on this story). So many "I almost tried this I didn't think it was dangerous" comments really make me lose faith in people. Sticking a fork in an electrical outlet is safe compared to what is going on here. Maybe that's just my electrical engineering background talking.
Careful, you might give some teen an idea for a TikTok "fork challenge".
Also, for those wondering about the wood burning thing that was spreading on YouTube (that YouTube is apparently TRYING to actively spread):
https://youtu.be/wzosDKcXQ0I
Follow up (and in case the original is taken down again): https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I think they meant a fork in the outlet.A house fire is really the least of your worries. A microwave transformer will happily kill your ass dead and there is absolutely nothing there to protect you.I believe that was a challenge. There were stories about house fires from it.Ann Reardon wrote about a trend in YouTube that has killed over thirty adults verified to date so far. The wood burning thing with electricity. Nobody cares though and her video was pulled because it was dangerous... These companies need to show the most bare minimum of due diligence imo.
https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I agree with your point.
I believe the original video is back up for anyone who is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzosDKcXQ0I&t=708s
When I heard of this I thought there was some sneakily dangerous aspect to this. But like, its pretty obvious that this is super dangerous (similar to people asphyxiating themselves on this story). So many "I almost tried this I didn't think it was dangerous" comments really make me lose faith in people. Sticking a fork in an electrical outlet is safe compared to what is going on here. Maybe that's just my electrical engineering background talking.
Careful, you might give some teen an idea for a TikTok "fork challenge".
Also, for those wondering about the wood burning thing that was spreading on YouTube (that YouTube is apparently TRYING to actively spread):
https://youtu.be/wzosDKcXQ0I
Follow up (and in case the original is taken down again): https://youtu.be/GZrynWtBDTE
I do seem to recall that being a thing going around, putting foil, paperclips, or other conductors into the socket to short things out and pop breakers.
No, it's not at all like Ars had an article on requiring backup cameras to help prevent children from being run over.Before the "parents shouldn't have let them use TikTok" comments flood in:
We decided as a society a ways back that parental responsibility did not give companies free-reign to market harmful items to minors.
Such as "Joe Cool" a cartoon camel advertising cigarettes: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/pr ... w-ftc-says
There's certainly a need to prove (in court) that TikTok is addictive to children, and further that TikTok knowingly engages in pushing this addictiveness towards children.
But parental responsibility is not a shield for companies trying to entice children into harmful addiction generally.
Do we care about dead kids ? 50 kids under 2 get run over every week by cars reversing from drive ways in the US, that's just driveways. The Netherlands blocked cites, rolled cars over and protested to remove cars becase of it. The biggest cause of deaths for kids, after cars in the US, is guns. So I am.not sure why the angst about TikTok.
Then we have the entire food industry, Happy Meals and other such things promoting obesity. I am sure if you asked TikTok if they are ok that kids are dieing they'd genuinely say no, just like Ruger, McDonalds or Ford would.
Another day, another scammer illegally aiming at the deep pockets instead of the guilty party.
tide pod challenge.. black out challenge.. just call it Darwin challenge.
I'm getting so tired of hearing parents cry about their 8 year old being addicted to the internet. Take their phone away. It's truly that simple. Why did you give an 8 year old a phone to begin with? I'm betting the real answer is "to shut them up so I don't have to pay attention to them." I don't care if Purdue Pharma is making cartoons about how cool opioids are, you're the reason they keep watching it. Y'all cram a screen in their face every second they get and then wonder why they shoot up their schools or kill themselves. This kind of crap is why abortion should not only be legal but, in some cases, mandatory.