Deadly Digital Dares: The Blackout Challenge on TikTok

The social network TikTok is chockfull of interesting, fun, laugh-out-loud videos shared by creators worldwide. Kids, as well as parents, can easily spend hours glued to the platform. But as with most popular platforms, the fun can eventually turn dark, even deadly, when viral challenges make their rounds.  

The latest viral challenge, the “blackout challenge,” first became popular online in 2008 and made its unfortunate comeback in 2021. Before this second round, the CDC attributed nearly 80 deaths to the dangerous online game. In the past month, authorities are attributing the tragic, high-profile deaths of Archie Battersbee, 12, and Leon Brown, 14 to the challenge. 

What is it? 

The blackout challenge is a choking game that involves intentionally trying to choke oneself or another to obtain a brief euphoric state or “high.” Death or serious injury can result if strangulation is prolonged. Those doing the challenge do it privately or broadcast their attempt to friends or followers. The CDC also found that most deaths occurred when a child engaged in the choking game alone and that most parents were unaware of the game before their child’s death.

What’s the appeal? 

It’s easy to look at a challenge like this and dismiss it thinking your child would never be involved in such a dangerous game. However, in a recent post from HealthyChildren.org on why kids participate in online dares, pediatricians point to the reality that the teen brain is still developing. The part of the brain that processes rational thought, the prefrontal cortex, is not fully developed until a person’s mid-20s. This physiological reality means teens are naturally impulsive and can do things without stopping to consider the consequences.  

Another lure that entices teens is that social media’s fast-moving, impulsive environment rewards outrageous behavior—the more outrageous the content, the bigger the bragging rights. The fear of losing out (FOMO is natural for teens. 

Signs to look for 

According to the CDC, signs that a child may be engaging in the blackout challenge include: 

• They may talk about the game or use alternate terms such as “pass–out
  game” “choking game,” or “space monkey.” 
• They may have bloodshot eyes 
• You may see marks on their neck 
• They might have severe headaches 
• They could show signs of disorientation after spending time alone 
• You might notice the presence of ropes, scarves, or belts tied to furniture or doorknobs 
• They may have unexplained items like dog leashes, choke collars, or bungee cords in their room. 

5 talking points for families

1. Dig in and discuss hard stuff. Set time aside to talk about the viral challenges your child may or may not notice online. Discuss the dangers, the physiology of being impulsive, and how social network communities inherently reward reckless behavior with likes and shares.  
2. Make the consequences personal. Do your homework. Pull up the relevant headlines and discuss the implications of the blackout challenge (and others), such as lack of oxygen to the brain, seizures, long-term complications, and death.  
3. Talk about digital peer pressure. Coach your kids through the dangers they encounter online they may take for granted. Ask them how they feel when they see someone doing dangerous things online and ways to avoid or discourage it. Are your kids rallying around the challenges or sharing the content? Do they try to be funny to get attention online?  
4. Establish ground rules. As tragic as these challenges are, they allow parents to pause and refresh family ground rules for online behavior and media use. Your kids have changed over time, as have their online communities, and interests. Design ground rules and media use expectations to help shape a safe, balanced digital life that reflects their current online activity. 
5. Add extra protection. We add security systems to our homes for additional protection from outside threats, so too, it’s wise to add security to our family devices to encourage content filtering, monitoring, and time limits.  

Viral challenges will continue to emerge and shock us. There’s no way to anticipate them or control them. However, staying informed about dangerous online trends and keeping the lines of communication with your child open and honest is a big step toward equipping them to live a safe, balanced digital life.  

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Setting Up Parental Controls in TikTok, Instagram & Snapchat

It’s a question we get a lot from parents: “How can I keep my kids safe when they are constantly hopping between so many different apps?” We get it, there’s a lot to stay on top and all of it changes constantly. Unfortunately, that question doesn’t have a simple answer. But there are some baseline actions every parent can take to boost their child’s safety on popular apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.  

The safety equation is threefold, with every piece as important to your child’s overall safety as the next.  

1. Connection and conversation. The first part of the safety equation is maintaining a strong relationship with your child so that dialogue (two-way; no lectures) on digital safety and wellbeing becomes commonplace and they know they can come to you if they have a problem. One way to keep those conversations rolling is to download your child’s favorite apps so that you understand first-hand how the communities work and the type of content that’s being shared. 
2. Install parental controls. The second part of the safety equation is to add parental controls. Do we have an agenda here? You betcha! For decades, we’ve put some of the world’s brightest engineering minds into designing digital tools that allow families to enjoy the best of the Internet without giving them the rest of the Internet that could put their emotional and physical wellbeing at risk. McAfee’s targeted software helps parents monitor and filter web searches and content, set time limits, and view daily activity reports.  
3. Access platform tools. The third way is to take a few minutes to ensure your kids are using the platform-level tools available on both their devices and within the apps. Both Apple and Android phones have basic safety and wellbeing features. Additionally, the apps your kids likely love—Tik Tok, Snapchat, and Instagram—have their own set of safety tools.  

Screentime is Climbing 

A report released in 2021 by Common Sense Media found that teenagers (ages 13-18) use an average of nine hours of entertainment media per day and that tweens (ages 8-12) use an average of six hours a day, not including time spent using media for school or homework. The report also found that boys spend more time on gaming devices while girls spend more time on social media and that mobile devices now account for 41% of all screen time among tweens and 46% among teens. 

With those numbers increasing each year, it’s even more important to understand the different ways parents can help kids stay safe. Let’s break down a few safety basics on each app that are easy to access and use.    

Tik Tok Safety 

TikTok has some impressive safety guidelines broken down into topics parents could easily use as a springboard for some great family discussions. The guidelines and the Safety Center cover issues such as dangerous TikTok challenges and how to deal with other digital threats such as bullying, sexual content, fake news, and hateful behavior. You can increase safeguards using TikTok’s: 

• Family Pairing. TikTok offers Family Pairing that allows parents to link their account with their child’s to co-control settings on privacy and content. This TikTok feature allows a parent to monitor and manage screen time, direct messages, set restrictions, and control friend and comment filters.  
• Restricted Mode. There is a Restricted mode for accounts that can help filter basic mature content on TikTok. 
• Privacy Settings. To ensure your child isn’t connecting with unknown people on TikTok, you can go into the settings and make their account private.  
• Digital Wellbeing. We all know how easy it is to get sucked into spending hours on an app without even getting up to stretch or give our eyes or minds a break. Turning this function on will send alerts to users who have been on the app for more than two hours.  

Snapchat Safety 

Every app functions differently and thus, offers different ways to boost security. Snapchat provides a helpful guide for parents and educators, including safety tips and conversation starters. You can increase safeguards using Snapchat’s: 

• Privacy Settings. Sit down with your child to ensure their privacy settings are adjusted to choose who can send them Snaps, view their Stories, or see their location on Snap Map. They can also manage who views your child’s content with My Story. 
• Friends Only Feature. Snapchat was made for keeping in touch with your close friends, so the app Safety Center recommends users “only friend or accepts friend requests from people that you know in real life.” 
• Report Abuse Feature. Ensure your kids understand how to report abuse on Snapchat, including harassment, bullying, or other safety concerns. If someone makes them uncomfortable, they can block that Snapchatter and leave any group chat. Here’s more on reporting abuse or safety concerns. 
• Think before you share. Snaps are designed to delete by default within 24 hours. However, remind your kids that people who send Snaps can still take a screenshot or take a picture of the Snap with another device. Therefore, on Snapchat especially, advise your kids to think before sharing. 

Instagram Safety 

Instagram offers parents and minor users a library of safety and mental health resources accessible via the app’s Community Tab at the bottom of its home page. You can increase safeguards using Instagram’s: 

• Family Center. A parent or guardian can supervise a teen’s Instagram account, provide extra support, and help balance their time. Parents of teens can remove supervision anytime, and the tool is automatically removed when the teen turns 18. 
• Privacy Controls. Your teen’s account can be set to private, which means their content will only be seen by approved followers. In addition, they can also block and report abusive accounts.  
• Comment Controls. Avoid unwanted interactions by encouraging your child to use “Comment Controls.” In addition, reporting and blocking tools also allow them to manage who can comment on their posts.  
• Direct Message Safeguards. Instagram restricts Direct Messages (DMs) between teens (under 18) and adults they don’t follow. When an adult tries to message a teen who doesn’t follow them, they receive a notification that DM’ing that teen isn’t an option. For adults and teens already connected (i.e., one account follows the other), Instagram sends safety notices encouraging teens to be cautious in conversations with adults who have exhibited potentially suspicious behavior. (Note: This feature does not protect kids from connecting with fraudulent catfish accounts created using false profile and age information). 

One of the most powerful safety features is you—a child’s mom, dad, or guardian. Your face-to-face, heart-to-heart connection will speak loudest in your child’s life. If you haven’t lately, ask your child what’s going on in their digital life, who their friends are, what they’ve created to share, and what’s new, hilarious, or trending. You may get some resistance now and then but don’t let that discourage you from pressing in and doing all the things that help keep them as safe as possible online.   

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A Parent’s Guide to TikTok

Finding someone who hasn’t heard of TikTok in 2022 would be quite the achievement. As one of the most popular social media platforms of the moment, it is not only being used by our tweens, teens and even grownups to connect but also as a crucial way to tell important stories amidst a backdrop of natural disasters and even war.  

As parents, we know we need to keep up with the latest social media platforms but let’s be real – we don’t always have enough time. So, I’m going to do the hard work for you. Here’s my overview of TikTok – what it is, the risks, and most importantly, how you can help your kids (or yourself) stay safe while using it. You’re welcome!! 

What Actually Is Tik Tok? 

Tik Tok is a social media platform that can be downloaded on any smartphone via an app. Once you’ve signed up to the app and become a user, you can create and then share short videos of 15 seconds in length on any topic. 

The app started life as Musical.ly, a super popular video streaming app that also allowed users to make funny 15-second videos, many of which focussed on lip-syncing. By mid-2017, the app had over 200 million registered users.  In 2018, the app was taken over by Chinese company ByteDance and all of its users (and their content) were moved to TikTok. 

How Popular is Tik Tok? 

According to Hootsuite, TikTok is the 6th most used social media platform in the world. As of late September 2021, TikTok had over a billion monthly users and as of August last year, it overtook Facebook to become the world’s most downloaded app. Facebook does, however, have more monthly users, reporting a massive 2.74 billion users as of August 2021.  

Who Is Using It? 

It appears TikTok is used by females (57%) more than males (43%) however its user base is very diverse and cuts across all age categories – yes, even us parents! But brands hoping to reach younger female audiences are without a doubt using TikTok to showcase their wares. What is interesting is that although we all think that TikTok dominates the Gen Z market, research shows that it doesn’t rank as the top choice for younger users – in fact only 4.3% of users name it as their favorite platform. Users between 16 and 24 nominate Instagram as their top choice! 

How Old Do You Need To Be To Use TikTok? 

Unlike other social media platforms, there is no minimum age requirement when using TikTok. The company says that it adjusts a user’s privacy settings based on the birthday entered when setting up the account. If a user is under the age of 13, they will automatically be directed into the TikTok for Younger Users program which has additional privacy and safety protections. Of course, anyone can lie about their age, but TikTok has said publicly that it has moderators trained to predict when a user is suspected of being underage. 

What Are The Risks of Tiktok? 

As you would know, there are risks associated with using all social media platforms and TikTok is no exception. However, in my opinion the majority of these can be managed with a combination of critical thinking, parental controls, and preparation – more about these later.  

But let’s go worst-case scenario for one moment. Here are the potential risks that your child could encounter: 

• Contact from online predators 
• Inappropriate content: sexualized, violent, racist  
• Potentially damaging conversations around mental health 
• Anxiety from potentially poor reaction to their videos 

How To Manage The Risks On Tiktok? 

Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to keep our tweens and teens in a bubble – I know, so disappointing! So, the best and only option is to prepare them for challenges online and arm them with tools to navigate the tricky stuff. Here’s my advice on how to best help them manage TikTok:  

1. Download The App & Start a Conversation 

Knowledge is power, my friends. So, download the app and have a play so you better understand it. Then, why not ask your experienced in-house ‘TikTokers’ to show you how it works. Use this as an opportunity to ask them what they do when they see something that concerns them, or how they would manage approaches from people they don’t know. Why not weave in reminders about the importance of online privacy and the permanence of their digital footprint? Commit to making these conversations regular.  

2. Foster A Critical Thinking Mindset 

Helping your kids become critical thinkers is, without doubt, one of the best ways of helping them prepare for life’s challenges – both online and offline. Being able to rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value is your kids’ golden ticket! So, if they are approached by friendly (but ill-intentioned) strangers online or sent a link to a super compelling offer online, they will have the ‘smarts’ to realise that all is not as it seems and to hit delete! 

3. Use TikTok’s Parental Controls Or Help Them Set Up Privacy & Safety Settings  

If the horse has already bolted and your tween or teen has been using TikTok for a while, then introducing boundaries might be tricky but don’t give up! TikTok has a Family Pairing feature which allows parents to link their TikTok account to their teen’s account so they can control the settings remotely. This might be a good option if your child is younger or just starting out on TikTok. This gives parents the power to turn on Restricted Mode, screen time limits, and also turn off the direct message option.  

Leverage Tiktok’s Privacy Controls 

If your child has been using TikTok for some time and you want to pull things back, then why not work with them to set up their privacy and safety features. I find kids always respond best when you explain why you are doing something so assure them you are just wanting to keep them safe. TikTok has a long list of features you can enable that will make your offspring’s experience that much safer. From turning off downloads, filtering comments to introducing screen time limits, there is a great range of ways of making the TikTok experience much less risky. Check out the full list from TikTok here. 

So, next time you hear your kids reference TikTok, don’t immediately feel a pang of guilt that you don’t really know what they are talking about. You’ve got this! Download the app, take a look around, read this post a few more times, and you’ll be fine! And remember, our kids don’t expect us to be experts straight away, or even at all. They just need to know that we’re interested in all parts of their life and respect just how important their digital life is to them. 

You’ve got this!! 

Take care all 

Alex xx 

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McAfee Teammates Share How They’ll Help #BreakTheBias this International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day serves as an important reminder that each and every one of us plays a role in recognizing and addressing gender bias. Together, we can make a difference in creating a more equitable world for all.

At McAfee, we know that genuine change requires continuous commitment. And while we’re proud of the efforts we’re making as a company – from being the first cybersecurity company to achieve global pay parity (and maintain it), to expanded time off for new parents, to a woman on every hiring panel to help remove bias – we know there is more to do.

This International Women’s Day and beyond, McAfee team members around the globe share how they’ll continue to advance inclusion and gender equality by actively working to #BreakTheBias.

	JaffarSadhik Software Quality Engineer (India) A gender equal world starts with a change. A change within families, a change with perspectives, a change among society!
	Arathi Program Manager (Canada) I am helping to #BreakTheBias by teaching my son that both boys and girls, men and women can do it all.
	Krupali Sr Market Research Analyst (USA) We need to think differently. Women have, are and will always be quintessential architects of society. Together we can #BreakTheBias
	Ambareen Software Engineer (UK) Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias! I am doing my part and learning from my mum and helping the next generation believe in themselves irrespective of gender.
	Kevin Real Estate & Workplace Strategy (Ireland) Equality can only be achieved if diversity, difference and qualities of woman are truly valued. We must work together to acknowledge and #BreakTheBias.
	Darya Channel Marketing (Australia)  Bias against anyone for simply being different, limits our growth and is a significant waste of talent, energy and happiness. I commit to taking an active role in questioning perceptions to do my part to influence change.
	Natalia Software Sales (Canada) I will help #BreakTheBias by raising and supporting a strong independent young adult and setting an example for her. I do so by choosing my career path while leading and growing personally and professionally!
	Winnie Talent Acquisition Partner (Australia) I will #BreakTheBias by addressing and challenging gender stereotypes.
	Aisling Senior People Partner (Ireland) I will help #BreakTheBias by encouraging conversations around diversity, challenging myself and others to consider where we can make changes that will have a positive impact.

Join McAfee and millions of others around the world in celebrating International Women’s Day by sharing how you’ll #BreakTheBias.

Interested in building your career at a company that helps women thrive? Search our openings!

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TikTok Update: Dangerous Viral Challenges & Age Restrictions

TikTok Update: Dangerous Viral Challenges & Age Restrictions

It’s popular. It’s uplifting. It’s creative. It’s entertaining. It can also be risky.

All these words equally describe TikTok, the wildly popular social network that allows teens to create and share videos and find critical connections during isolating times. So what makes TikTok both amazing and potentially risky at the same time? It isn’t the app itself but, rather, the way some kids choose to use it.

Several of those risky behaviors making headlines lately include the all-too-familiar topic of viral challenges. The secondary risk? Underage users’ common practice of bypassing TikTok’s age restrictions, which can put them in harm’s way. In 2020, TikTok classified more than a third of its 49 million daily users in the U.S. as being 14 years old or younger.

A recent webinar hosted by Cyberwise featuring Rick Andreoli, Editor-in-Chief at Parentology, and Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center, highlighted the risks of some of the latest challenges. (Listen to the full discussion here). Here are just a few of the many challenges parents should know about.

Popular TikTok Challenges

The blackout challenge. The draw to this challenge is somewhat new to TikTok but familiar in the online challenge realm. It involves users live-streaming themselves as they cut off their air supply to the point of losing consciousness. Sadly, this challenge recently had deadly consequences for a 10-year-old TikTok user, according to Newsweek reports. The incident prompted an outcry for the platform to ban users with unconfirmed ages.

Skullbreaker/trip jump challenge. TikTok users carry out this challenge in various ways, but one of the most common includes three friends side-by-side. As the video begins, everyone jumps or dances as pre-planned, only one kid is targeted to go down as the other two swipe the legs out from under them, causing either a face plant or a backward fall. This popular challenge has resulted in several medical emergencies.

The outlet or penny challenge. Fire officials have issued public cautions around this challenge, which involves sliding a penny into a partially plugged-in phone charger or cord. The goal? See who can record and post the biggest sparks or, yes, flames.

Coronavirus challenge. Here’s a challenge that thankfully didn’t gain too much traction before TikTok banned it. It was created by several “influencers” and encouraged TikTok users to post videos of themselves defying the Coronavirus by licking public objects — such as toilets and grocery store items.

TikTok Safety Basics  

• Oversee apps, add parental controls. TikTok advises parents to “oversee your teen’s internet use, including any apps they may download . . . the full TikTok experience is for users 13 and over . . . use parental controls to simply block our apps from your child’s phone.” (We couldn’t agree more, TikTok!)
• Adhere to TikTok age restrictions; explore options. Kids may view age restrictions as just another silly rule standing in the way of their fun. This is where you can talk about the very real dangers being reported and why the age restriction exists. Too, explore other connection options on TikTok designed to equip younger users. For instance, TikTok has an “under 13” section of the app that restricts access to mature content. Another option is to open a parent/child-owned TikTok account using the new Family Safety Mode. This will allow you to teach a younger child how to use the app safely — and talk about potential danger zones.
• Adjust Settings. Consider requiring your child to keep their account private (circle back to ensure it stays private). To make an account private, change the Settings for comments, duets, reactions, and messages to “friends” instead of “everyone.”
• Open a TikTok account. To gain a better understanding of the TikTok culture, open your own account and look around. Let your child know you have an account but think about refraining from following them or commenting — this is their hangout. A personal account allows you to monitor video content, friend groups, and comments, often where cyberbullying or other red flags tend to surface. This will give you the understanding, context, and specifics you need to talk with your child if needed. Remind them regularly where to report any issues.

A final reminder for parents is this: Challenge yourself to let go of the assumption that your child won’t try foolish things online. Smart kids also make unwise choices — a possibility that’s easily provoked in an environment where influencers, likes, and peer comments can disguise danger. It’s easy to forget that during the teen years, reason and evolving identity are at constant odds, which means emotion can suddenly commandeer logic. For parents, this means that by getting involved in your child’s digital world, you have the chance influence and guide them when they need it most.

To stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow @McAfee_Home  on Twitter, subscribe to our email, listen to our podcast Hackable?, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

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