'Social media have taken our children away' - British families sue TikTok in US

Underscoring the tensions, a U.S. state judge in Delaware on Friday (January 16) heard TikTok's bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed last year by the parents of five British children who died while allegedly performing prank and challenge videos.

The lawsuit alleged that TikTok's algorithms promoted dangerous content to children, including a so-called "blackout challenge" that encouraged people to choke themselves.

"ByteDance harmed these children after its leadership knew that its programming decisions were resulting in the accidental deaths of children," the lawsuit filed in the Delaware Superior Court said. Some of the children were below 13 years old.

"Our deepest sympathies remain with these families," a TikTok spokesperson said. "We strictly prohibit content that promotes or encourages dangerous behaviour."

TikTok in 2022 secured the dismissal of a separate lawsuit accusing it of causing the death of a 10-year-old girl.

-Colette Luke, Paul Vieira/Reuters