Italy has ordered Chinese-owned TikTok to make sure young children do not use its app, following the death of a ten-year-old girl who accidentally killed herself in a “Blackout Challenge”.
Children under 13 are not required to use TikTok. However, the Italian regulator wants the app not to block verified user accounts until February 15th. According to reports, it is easy for children under 13 to bypass the registration rules of the app.
The unidentified girl from Palermo, Sicily, was declared brain dead last week after she attempted to take part in a so-called ‘Blackout Challenge’, in which participants dare to choke themselves until they fall out for a few seconds. According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the child tied a strap around her neck and accidentally suffocated.
Prosecutors investigated the death, which shocked Italy, and saw if anyone had invited the girl to take part in the challenge.
“Privacy and security are absolute priorities for TikTok and we are constantly strengthening our policies, processes and technologies to protect our communities and younger users in particular,” a TikTok spokesman in Italy told Reuters.