Venezuela issues TikTok $10 million fine for failing to prevent viral challenges that ‘led to death of three children’
31 December 2024, 02:41
Venezuela's Supreme Court has issued a 10 million dollar (£7.9 million) fine against TikTok for "not implementing measures" to prevent viral video challenges that have allegedly led to the deaths of three local children.
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Judge Tania D'Amelio said TikTok had acted in a negligent manner and gave it eight days to pay the fine after the deaths of three children.
In November, President Nicolas Maduro blamed TikTok for the death of a 12-year-old girl who allegedly died after participating in a TikTok challenge that involved taking tranquilliser pills and not falling asleep.
Venezuela's education minister Hector Rodriguez also said last month that a 14-year-old died after taking part in a challenge that involved sniffing substances.
And on November 21, Venezuela's attorney general blamed video challenges on TikTok for the death of a third child.
It also ordered the video service company to open an office in Venezuela that would supervise content so that it complies with local laws.
The judge did not explain how Venezuela would force TikTok, whose parent company is based in China, to pay the fine.
Venezuela has blocked dozens of websites in previous years for not complying with regulations set by its telecommunications commission.
TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.
Dozens of radio stations and television channels have been taken off the air in Venezuela under Mr Maduro over their news coverage.
More than 60 websites belonging to human rights groups and news companies were blocked at different times this year, according to VE Sin Filtro, a group that tracks media freedoms in the South American country.
In August, Venezuela banned the social media platform X as thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to protest the reelection of Mr Maduro.
The Venezuelan government initially banned X for 10 days, after Mr Maduro accused its owner Elon Musk of using the social media platform to "orchestrate attacks against Venezuela."
Mr Musk had accused Mr Maduro of rigging the July 28 election, which the United Nations and the Carter Centre, an organisation that monitors elections around the world, said did not meet international standards
X can now be accessed on privately run internet providers in Venezuela, but it is still blocked by Venezuela's state-owned internet provider Movilnet.Mr Maduro recently announced he is moving Christmas to October 1, in a controversial move that critics have described as an attempt to further his own political agenda.
