In yet another example of the numerous dangerous “challenges” that spread unchecked throughout the social platform TikTok, a young boy has passed after being taken off life support.
Jacob Stevens, a 13-year-old boy from Ohio, died in a hospital after nearly a week on a ventilator.
He was participating in the “Benadryl Challenge” TikTok trend, where short videos advise other users to take 12 to 14 pills of the over-the-counter antihistamine in order to induce hallucinations.
Jacob’s friends were filming his attempt in the Stevens’ home when he began seizing in response to the huge dose of Benadryl.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he spent six days on a ventilator before doctors told his family that the young boy would not wake up again.
His father, Justin Stevens, shared on a GoFundMe page to support Jacob’s care that his son had “no brain activity”.
“We do not think it’s fair to keep him on this,” wrote Justin Stevens.
In comments to ABC 6, the family said they want other parents to be more involved in their children’s social media habits.
“I’m going to do anything I can to make sure another child doesn’t go through it,” Jacob’s grandmother, Dianna Stevens said through tears.
They are also appealing to lawmakers to put age restrictions on buying medicine like Benadryl and to enforce age restrictions on social media platforms, including ID verification to make accounts.
“I already sent a message to Mr. Dewine [Ohio’s governor]. It’s my life goal now to make that happen. I’ll go at it until the day I die,” Justin said.
Social Media Under Scrutiny
Social media, and TikTok in particular have come under intense scrutiny over the past few months.
Utah became the first state to require social media platforms to get parents consent for children to use their apps and to verify users are at least 18 years old.
Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, tweeted at the time, “We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth. As leaders, and parents, we have a responsibility to protect our young people.”
On a federal level, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MS) introduced a pair of bills to protect children online.
The first bill, titled the MATURE Act, would raise the minimum age for social media users to 16.
The second measure, titled the Federal Social Media Research Act, would commission a report on the harmful effects of social media on children.
“Children suffer every day from the effects of social media,” Hawley said in a statement. “At best, Big Tech companies are neglecting our children’s health and monetizing their personal information. At worst, they are complicit in their exploitation and manipulation.”
Nature taking it’s course, it is called natural selection.
Wait till it kills some kids from those in Congress or Senate
then see things chnage