Venezuela’s Supreme Court has ordered TikTok to pay a $10 million fine after several deadly viral challenges led to the deaths of three children and injuries to many others.
The children, aged 12 to 14, reportedly participated in harmful challenges that involved ingesting or inhaling dangerous substances.
The court’s ruling accused TikTok of failing to act effectively to prevent such content from spreading.
As part of the penalty, the social media platform is also required to establish a local office in Venezuela and contribute to a fund for victims of the challenges.
The funds will be used to help children and adolescents affected by these incidents.
TikTok expressed understanding of the gravity of the situation but has yet to respond to the court’s deadline to pay the fine.
The government has been considering new laws to regulate social media platforms in the wake of these tragedies.
