Influencer is accused of 'inciting suicide' by Italian police after posting 'challenge' video where she covered her nose and mouth with sticky tape
- Sicilian influencer, 48, accused of 'inciting suicide' over her challenge video
- Italian police said she covered her face, nose and mouth using sticky tape
- It comes only a week after a child died from a similar 'blackout challenge' video
- Police did not specify whether the child had seen the 48-year-old's TikTok video A social media influencer has been accused of 'inciting suicide' by Italian police after she posted a video in which she covered her nose and mouth in sticky tape.
The 48-year-old influencer, from Sicily, uploaded a TikTok video in which her face, including her mouth and nose, was covered in sticky tape.
Police said that the video, which had been posted without restrictions, was 'extremely dangerous' and could be viewed by anyone, including children.The video was published only a week after a 10-year-old girl accidentally died in Palermo as a result of a 'blackout challenge'.
Police in Italy have accused a 48-year-old social media influencer, from Sicily, of 'inciting suicide' after she posted a TikTok video in which she covered her face with sticky tape (stock image)
In a statement, police said the video showed the woman and a man taking part in a challenge 'in which both wrapped their faces, including nostrils and mouth, with transparent adhesive tape, so that they could not breathe.'
The statement also confirmed that the video has now been removed from the social media platform.
Italian investigators have been probing TikTok since the death last week of a 10-year-old girl who allegedly participated in a similar 'choking game', in which restricted oxygen to the brain induces a high.
Italy's privacy watchdog temporarily blocked TikTok access for users whose age could not be proved definitively.
Speaking today, police did not specify whether the girl who had died had seen the video in question, but that it and other ones like it 'could be emulated by minors'. The woman who posted the video had published numerous other similar challenges, 'which allowed her to gain popularity and the attention of 731,000 followers of different ages'.
Viewers were allowed to accept the challenge, police said, citing one post in which a user wrote 'if you say hi to me I swear I'll jump out the window'.
Prosecutors authorised a search of the woman's computer and social network accounts.
According to TikTok's terms and conditions, users must be at least 13-years-old.
Italy's data regulators yesterday said they were also looking into how minors accessed Facebook and Instagram.
The video was published only a week after a 10-year-old girl accidentally died in Palermo as a result of a 'blackout challenge' (stock image)
The watchdog filed a legal case in December against TikTok alleging a 'lack of attention to the protection of minors', criticising the ease with which very young children could sign up.
Speaking after the death of the girl last week, a TikTok spokesperson said: 'Our deepest sympathies are with the girl's family and friends.
'We do not allow content that encourages, promotes, or glorifies dangerous behaviour that might lead to injury, and our teams work diligently to identify and remove content that violates our policies.
'While we have not currently found evidence of content on our platform that might have encouraged such an incident off-platform, we will continue to monitor closely as part of our continuous commitment to keep our community safe.
'We will also assist the relevant authorities with their investigation as appropriate.'
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
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