TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, are being sued by the parents of four British teenagers who died after allegedly attempting a viral social media challenge in 2022.
The families of Isaac Kenevan, Archie Battersbee, Julian “Jools” Sweeney, and Maia Walsh claim their children lost their lives after attempting the so-called “blackout challenge”, a dangerous trend that reportedly encouraged users to restrict their breathing to achieve a temporary high.
The lawsuit was filed by the US-based Social Media Victims Law Center in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware on behalf of the grieving parents.
According to the complaint, TikTok’s “addiction-by-design” algorithms intentionally push content designed to maximise engagement—allegedly exposing children to harmful challenges without their knowledge or intent.
The lawsuit claims ByteDance’s algorithm flooded the teenagers’ feeds with dangerous content, contributing to their tragic deaths.
A spokesperson for TikTok stated that the platform blocks searches for the “blackout challenge” and redirects users to its Safety Centre, reinforcing its commitment to preventing dangerous content.
Campaigners argue that social media giants prioritise profits over child safety. Leanda Barrington-Leach, executive director of 5Rights Foundation, described the deaths as “the horrific consequences of tech companies putting profit above children’s lives.”
The safety of TikTok’s algorithm has been under scrutiny before. In January 2024, a coroner ruled that Archie Battersbee, aged 12, died due to a “prank or experiment” gone wrong, stating there was no evidence he was attempting an online challenge.
Other grieving parents, including Lisa Kenevan and Hollie Dance, have since campaigned to raise awareness about the dangers of viral social media trends.
In a similar case, Tawainna Anderson sued TikTok after her 10-year-old daughter, Nyla, tragically died in 2021, allegedly after attempting the same challenge. A US appeals court revived her case in August 2024, setting a legal precedent that could influence the British lawsuit.
One of the parents, Ellen Roome, has been leading a campaign for “Jools’ Law”, which would grant parents access to their deceased children’s social media accounts.
She hopes the proposed law will provide much-needed transparency and prevent further tragedies.
“It’s my one goal to try and make something positive out of the loss of Jools, not just me but for the families who have already lost children and families going forward,” she told the BBC in January.
