TikTok searches soared amid flood of media coverage, raising questions about the response to extreme social media challenges
But the controversy highlights the difficulty for government agencies and the media in responding to increasingly extreme social media challenges. At least one person reportedlyafter participating in 2020’s “Benadryl challenge”, in which people ingest large amounts of antihistamines in an effort to induce hallucinations. The families of an eight-year-old and nine-year-old who died while trying a “blackout” challenge have sued TikTok.
“The communication informs healthcare professionals and consumers of this safety concern to facilitate its monitoring, management, and hopefully risk reduction,” a spokesperson said. “To that effect, the consumer update proactively communicates how to keep children safe and prevent potentially harmful trends, and the update includes directions on how to store and use over-the-counter drugs safely.
. “Most likely because it’s just brought many people to think about something they were not thinking about before.”