A Venezuelan court has imposed a $10 million fine on TikTok following a series of viral challenges that resulted in the deaths of three children and injuries to dozens of others.
The court’s ruling, delivered on Monday, requires TikTok to pay the fine to the nation’s telecommunications agency within 10 days and to establish a formal office in Venezuela.
The legal action follows the deaths of three minors, aged 12, 13, and 14, who participated in TikTok challenges involving dangerous chemical mixtures. These incidents have drawn widespread condemnation, including from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who called the challenges “dangerous” and demanded accountability.
In its ruling, the court accused TikTok of failing to exercise “timely control” over harmful content, holding the platform partially responsible for the tragic outcomes. Judges directed that proceeds from the fine be allocated to a compensation fund for victims. TikTok has not yet issued a statement regarding the decision.
This case is part of a larger campaign by the Venezuelan government to scrutinise social media platforms.
President Maduro has ramped up criticism of TikTok and WhatsApp, accusing them of enabling harmful behaviors. Earlier this year, Maduro urged supporters to delete WhatsApp, calling it a tool for “fascists” to incite violence.
The controversy in Venezuela adds to the mounting global scrutiny faced by TikTok. In the U.S., the Bytedance-owned app is under threat of a ban unless it sells its American operations. FBI Director Chris Wray and members of Congress have raised concerns over TikTok’s potential ties to the Chinese government, labelling it a national security risk. TikTok has denied these allegations, stating that the Chinese government’s stake in ByteDance has no impact on its operations outside China.
TikTok is already banned in India, Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Somalia and faces additional restrictions in Western countries. The UK government, its Parliament, and the European Commission have banned the app from staff devices, citing security concerns.
The Venezuelan ruling marks another challenge for TikTok as governments worldwide grapple with how to regulate its influence, particularly among minors. This latest incident underscores the urgent need for platforms to enhance content moderation and accountability amid growing public and governmental scrutiny.
