What is the blackout game?
The blackout game, also known as the fainting game, speed dreaming, or the choking game, is an online challenge that has spread on social media platforms like TikTok. It encourages participants to choke themselves until they pass out due to lack of oxygen. The so-called “game” gives a high or euphoric feeling when oxygen returns to the brain after passing out. However, it can have serious and even fatal consequences.
According to Urban Dictionary, the blackout game involves “a person caus[ing] themselves to pass out for a few seconds by cutting off blood supply to the brain…to experience a high feeling when blood returns to the brain.” While labeled a game, experts view it as extremely dangerous self-harm activity.
History and origins
The blackout challenge, also known as the choking game or fainting game, has existed for many years before social media. As early as 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on deaths of children playing dangerous games that involve voluntary strangulation to achieve brief euphoria through temporary hypoxia. These dangerous behaviors continued over the years with different names like the “choking game,” “space monkey,” “suffocation roulette” and “flatliner.”
According to Wikipedia, the blackout challenge dates back to at least 2008 when it began spreading among youth as a dangerous form of thrill-seeking. However, this challenge has led to many injuries and deaths over the years. One study published in 2008 examined reports of 82 probable choking game deaths of children aged 6 to 19 years old between 1995 and 2007. This highlights that even before social media, youth were participating in such dangerous choking games.
While the blackout challenge itself predates social media, social platforms like TikTok have enabled it to spread more widely in recent years. However, it’s important to recognize this is not a new challenge, but rather a longstanding dangerous activity that has existed in offline youth behavior and culture prior to the internet.
How it spread on TikTok
TikTok’s powerful algorithm is designed to quickly determine a user’s interests and preferences in order to recommend content it thinks they will engage with. This can lead to issues when it comes to promoting harmful viral challenges or inappropriate content to younger users.
According to analysis by nonprofit groups and media reports, TikTok’s recommender system focuses heavily on promoting content based on engagement and sharing potential, regardless of the nature of the content [1]. This has resulted in dangerous viral challenges and inappropriate content being widely circulated on the platform and easily discoverable by young users.
Experts state that TikTok’s algorithm specifically targets and exploits the vulnerabilities of children by promoting shocking or extreme content to keep them engaged on the app [1]. This includes potentially harmful challenges that encourage risk-taking behavior.
Additionally, the auto-play feature on TikTok contributes to younger users being exposed to back-to-back videos with inappropriate or dangerous content before they can opt out [2]. This constant inundation of concerning content normalizes and promotes it within the app’s culture.
Dangers and risks
The blackout challenge poses severe health risks, including asphyxiation, brain damage, and even death. Participants intentionally restrict their breathing to the point of passing out. Cutting off oxygen flow to the brain for even a short time can be extremely dangerous.
When someone chokes themselves to unconsciousness, they risk asphyxiating and never waking up. Even if they regain consciousness, depriving the brain of oxygen for more than 3 minutes can cause permanent brain damage, coma, or death (Wikipedia).
Doctors warn that losing consciousness from self-asphyxiation can lead to convulsions, fractures, concussion, or hematomas from falling while passed out. It can also trigger seizures, memory impairments, and emotional disturbances (The Week).
Multiple children have died from attempting the challenge, including a 10-year-old Italian girl in January 2021. A neurosurgeon in that case said even brief strangulation can fracture vertebrae or cause brain hemorrhaging (Women’s Health).
Impact on children
The blackout challenge poses severe dangers to impressionable children and teens who may try it out. According to experts, the brains of pre-teens and adolescents are still developing decision-making and impulse control skills, making them more susceptible to peer pressure and risky viral challenges (Fox 59).
Sadly, many young kids have lost their lives or suffered brain damage after attempting the challenge, including a 12-year-old Colorado boy who was left brain dead after participating (Fox 59). The blackout game has been linked to the deaths of at least 15 children age 12 or younger in just the past 18 months (Bloomberg).
For parents, monitoring children’s social media use has become increasingly difficult. The blackout challenge spreads rapidly through platforms like TikTok, luring participants through hashtags and viral videos. Parents face major challenges in trying to protect kids from harmful online content and influencers (Bloomberg).
Experts advise having open conversations with children about online safety and setting age-appropriate parental controls on devices. However, supervising kids’ technology use remains an uphill battle as new viral challenges continue to emerge (Bloomberg).
Social media company policies
TikTok, the platform where the blackout challenge went viral, has updated its policies to explicitly prohibit promoting or showing dangerous challenges that pose a risk of serious harm or even death. Their community guidelines now clearly state that this includes “games, dares, inappropriate use of dangerous tools, or other dangerous behaviors.”
In a blog post, TikTok acknowledged the blackout challenge by name as one of the dangerous trends being prohibited. They state they will remove videos promoting such challenges and push safer content to users instead. TikTok also allows users to report dangerous challenges easily within the app.
While critics argue TikTok should do more proactive enforcement, the company claims its policies forbid dangerous acts and says it’s “committed to protecting the safety of our community.” They aim to balance safety with allowing creators to express themselves freely.
Expert opinions
Many doctors and psychologists have spoken out against the blackout game and its dangers. Dr. Free Hess, a pediatrician, wrote an article for Reddit saying that the blackout game “promoted depriving the brain of oxygen to get a high.” She called it an “irresponsible stunt” and said “the ‘game’ is deadly.”
Similarly, child psychologist Dr. Melissa Sporn told Millennial Money the blackout game “puts children in serious danger” and “should be banned from social media platforms.” She advised parents to monitor their kids’ internet usage closely. Other experts like Dr. Amy Jordan, Dr. Brian Primack, and Dr. Kimberly Young have also spoken out about the risks of choking games and passing out for social media videos.
Victim stories
The blackout challenge has led to tragic deaths of children and teenagers around the world. Nylah Anderson, a 10-year-old girl from Pennsylvania, passed away after attempting the challenge in December 2021. Her mother said Nylah held her breath until she lost consciousness (Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/mother-warns-about-blackout-challenge-after-daughter-death-2021-12).
In January 2023, at least nine children were reported to have died from participating in the blackout challenge, according to authorities investigating social media dangers (Source: https://whnt.com/news/national/deadly-social-media-blackout-challenge-resurfaces-nine-children-die/). These heartbreaking cases demonstrate the lethal risks of the challenge, especially for impressionable young users.
Prevention tips for parents
One of the key ways parents can help prevent participation in the blackout challenge is by monitoring their children’s use of social media and setting reasonable time limits, according to https://www.scarymommy.com/parents-need-to-know-blackout-challenge. Parents should know all of their child’s social media handles and passwords so they can periodically check-in on activity. Many experts recommend setting screen time limits or scheduling specific times when access is allowed.
Open and ongoing communication between parents and children is also vital for prevention, according to research from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3426904/. Parents should educate kids about the serious dangers and discuss peer pressure tactics that may lure them to participate. Letting kids know they can always come to you is key. This allows parents to notice any warning signs.
Raising awareness
Advocacy groups, schools, and concerned parents are working to raise awareness about the dangers of the blackout game and similar choking challenges. By educating people, especially children and teenagers who use TikTok, about the risks, they hope to prevent further loss of life.
Organizations like Advocates for Injured Athletes are speaking out about how impressionable kids see these viral challenges online and may try them without understanding the consequences. They recommend having open and honest conversations with children about making smart choices online and in real life. Setting social media rules and monitoring your child’s activity can also help keep them safe.
“We need to talk about this troubling game and warn our kids. Their developing brains cause them to take risks and not think through consequences. We need to be the responsible ones looking out for them,” said advocate Maureen Grimaldi.
Doctors and public health experts are appearing in PSAs and giving interviews to emphasize that blocking oxygen to the brain, even briefly, can be extremely hazardous. Schools are including warnings about choking games in their health and safety curricula. Community leaders are urging people to report any blackout challenge videos they see so the content can be removed.
Grassroots campaigns driven by parents who have lost children to the blackout challenge are calling for more accountability and safer platforms. They want algorithms changed so that dangerous stunts don’t spread so rapidly online.
“Our greatest weapon is awareness about this senseless game. Knowledge is power when it comes to protecting our kids,” said advocate Ron Sherman, who tragically lost his teenage son to the online craze.
