The social media app TikTok has inspired many Internet trends both positive and negative. One of the more recent negative TikTok trends was the Milk Crate Challenge where people attempted to walk or run across a set of milk crates. Many people were injured because of this trend. There is another dangerous TikTok trend called the Orbeez Challenge and this one is just as dangerous.
The “Orbeez Challenge” involves using air guns to shoot Orbeez — gel beads that expand in water at people. A Charlotte high schooler was one of the victims of this challenge as she was shot in the eye one morning. She had to go to the hospital and get checked out by a specialist. She suffered from swelling in her eye, blurry vision, and headaches. This is not the only accident caused by this challenge. Several other police agencies report people being shot by these air guns in their neighborhoods and in their parks. The student who shot the victim could face serious criminal charges.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said parents need to be responsible for their children and that TikTok also need to be held accountable.
“These social media platforms have real impacts on teenagers. We’ve seen study after study that shows mental health depression, anxiety, a lot of these problems worsen the more time kids use them. And now we’re seeing with this AirSoft challenge, that kids are being hurt and the general public is being assaulted by these guns, and it’s not, it is not acceptable. And TikTok bears some responsibility,” Stein said.
TikTok stated that they are currently revamping their policies in order to keep dangerous challenges like this one from going viral.
If you or a loved one have been affected by an accident or death, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Hurst Limontes, LLC. We have decades of combined experience fighting for our clients in any number of personal injury claims. Call 317-636-0808 or email us for a FREE and confidential consultation.