Ongoing Investigation of Girl's Death in Italy
The Claim
A 10-year-old girl dies in Italy after a TikTok challenge.
News posted on
Emerging story
In January 2021, news started circulating online about the death of a 10-year-old girl who allegedly took part in a “blackout challenge” on the video-sharing network TikTok.
Users also claimed that Italy blocked TikTok after the 10-year old girl’s death.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar's investigation found part of the circulating claim misleading.
The girl died in a Palermo hospital after being discovered on Wednesday by her five-year-old sister in the family bathroom with her cellphone, which was seized by police.
Yet the girl is still unidentified.
TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, said on Friday it had not managed to identify any content on its site that could have encouraged the girl to participate in any such challenge, but was helping the authorities in the probe over possible "incitement to suicide".
Italy blocked TikTok for certain users after the death of a girl that allegedly played a 'choking' game.
Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the accidental death of a 10-year-old girl who allegedly took part in a “blackout challenge” on the video-sharing network. The investigation is still ongoing, there is no official evidence the choking challenge is the main reason for the girl's death.
The Italian ban on TikTok will last until at least Feb. 15, when it will be reevaluated.
Interview to the Italian DPA (in Italian)https://t.co/42ACco6iLO
— Vincenzo Tiani (@VincenzoTiani) January 24, 2021