Unsafe Social Media Trends

The “tide pod challenge,” the “one chip challenge,” “subway surfing” - just a few of many dangerous trends that have gained popularity on social media. It seems like it should be common sense not to eat a laundry detergent pod or climb on top of a moving train, right? So why do teens do it? Well, teens’ brains are still developing. The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that handles rational thought, is not fully developed until the mid-20s. Basically, teens are naturally more impulsive and likely to act before thinking through all of the consequences (healthychildren.org).

In September of 2023, a Massachusetts teen died after participating in the “one chip challenge,” which involves eating an extremely spicy chip. According to Dr. Dominic Lucia of Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center, “Teens are at a unique part in their brain growth, where that risk-taking part of their brain…gets really excited and releases a lot of dopamine. Doing something that’s potentially dangerous, or that they see others in their peer group doing, is extremely enticing” (cw39).

One of the most dangerous trends, “subway surfing,” entails climbing on top of moving trains. The challenge has seen a recent rise in popularity. In the first six months of 2023 in New York City, four teens died and two more were seriously injured by this trend, compared to the five suspected “subway surfing” fatalities between 2018 and 2022. Officials have repeatedly asked social media companies to take down videos of the stunts to discourage future incidents. In response to a 14-year-old boy's tragic death, TikTok put out a statement expressing condolences for the family, noting that 40,000 "safety professionals" work to remove harmful content. However, when TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe was provided two examples of subway surfing on their platform, he did not respond nor comment on whether the company would ban the videos on its platform (NPR).

While it is the responsibility of social media companies to ensure their users’ safety, teens also need to be critical of trends we see online and not participate in ones that could potentially put our lives at risk.

Sources: HealthyChildren.org, CW39, NPR