Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice has imposed a $10 million fine on TikTok, following a series of tragic incidents where adolescents died or were harmed as a result of viral social media challenges.
The court ruling, delivered on December 30, comes after three teenagers in Venezuela lost their lives from chemical intoxication linked to participating in viral challenges on the platform.
Judge Tania D’Amelio found that TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, had failed to implement adequate measures to prevent the spread of dangerous content promoting these challenges.
In addition to the fine, the court has ordered the social media giant to establish an office in Venezuela. TikTok has been given eight days to pay the fine or face further legal actions.
The funds from the fine will be allocated to creating a “TikTok victims fund” to help those affected by the harmful content, especially children and adolescents who were psychologically, emotionally, or physically harmed by the challenges.
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In its statement to the court, TikTok acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.
Venezuelan authorities reported that, alongside the three deaths, over 200 other adolescents across the country had been hospitalized after ingesting chemicals as part of these dangerous challenges, mostly occurring in schools.
TikTok, known for its viral challenges ranging from dance routines to hazardous stunts, has faced growing criticism over its inability to effectively prevent the spread of harmful content.
While the platform bans content that encourages self-harm or suicide, critics argue that TikTok has not done enough to curb dangerous videos.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had previously warned of “severe measures” against TikTok in November if it failed to address the issue.
At present, Venezuela’s parliament is debating new regulations for social media platforms, with Maduro accusing platforms like X (formerly Twitter) of promoting harmful content such as “hate,” “fascism,” and “division” in the country.