Venezuela Slaps $10 Million Fine on TikTok After Viral Challenge Deaths

Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice has imposed a $10 million fine on TikTok after viral challenges on the platform were linked to the deaths of three adolescents due to chemical intoxication.

The court ruling, issued on Monday, December 30, found that the social media giant, owned by China’s ByteDance, failed to take adequate measures to prevent the spread of harmful content promoting dangerous challenges.

Judge Tania D’Amelio stated that TikTok had not implemented “necessary and adequate measures” to protect users from harmful challenges, which led to the fatalities.

In addition to the deaths, reports from Venezuela’s authorities indicated that more than 200 adolescents in schools across the country were hospitalized after ingesting chemicals as part of these viral challenges.

As part of the ruling, the court has ordered TikTok to establish an office in Venezuela within eight days and pay the $10 million fine.

If the company fails to comply, the court warned it would take further “appropriate” actions.

The fine is to be directed toward creating a TikTok victims fund, which will focus on addressing the psychological, emotional, and physical harm caused to vulnerable users, especially children and adolescents.

TikTok has acknowledged the severity of the situation in its statement to the court.

While the platform does prohibit content related to self-harm or suicide, critics have argued that TikTok has not done enough to prevent the spread of hazardous content, particularly given the rise in dangerous challenges that have gained traction on the platform globally.

This ruling follows earlier warnings from Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, who had threatened severe measures against TikTok in November if the platform did not remove content promoting what he described as “criminal challenges.”

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan Parliament is currently debating new regulations for social media platforms, with Maduro accusing sites like X (formerly Twitter) of spreading “hate,” “fascism,” and “division.”