The “Chapstick challenge” is a deadly craze that has recently been making the rounds on TikTok, joining the ranks of other harmful trends that have previously become popular on social media sites. Critics of the challenge believe it encourages suicidal thoughts and puts vulnerable young people at risk of suicide.
While there are other variations of this challenge circulating on TikTok, they most often involve a person opening a brand new bottle of stick and applying it for the first time, then claiming to commit suicide the day the stick tube runs out.
Many feel that TikTok has once again given its members a platform to risk their lives with this challenge. Several videos appearing on social media with the hashtag #chapstickchallenge show teenagers expressing their desire to commit suicide.
Why is the TikTok “chapstick challenge” considered dangerous?
The criteria for this challenge is a little unclear as there are other online challenges that require the use of a hair stick or similar lip care product. The problem they warn us about is when individuals submit videos of themselves with fresh new lipstick on their lips. When they finish their regimen, they admit they will commit on the day the wand they just started using expires. In short, it’s a countdown video to their death.
Similar iterations of this challenge have TikTok using a stick to cover up self-harm scars. None of these versions are safe and no one should try them under any circumstances. “This is all I have left,” noted one user, Ashley Soris, who attempted the challenge. Her colleagues flooded her video with comments urging her not to continue with the challenge and injure herself.
Reaction to the “chapstick challenge”
Concerned users are asking challenge participants to stop, think and take mental health seriously. According to one user,
“I understand that you are going through a difficult time right now, but this is not a pattern.” You inspire other students to do the same.”
The explosion of such challenges reflects the romanticization of death and shows the frightening lengths some individuals will go to in search of approval or attention. While some users were strident in their opposition to the challenge, others tried to be helpful and friendly. One remark read:
“You are appreciated. Don’t try this.”
So there’s this labello challenge where every time you use your wand and it ends, you kill yourself. How did it become a challenge? Don’t follow these people because they are already going through so much in life that they want attention or don’t even bring people with you.
— Anouar 🔥🔥🔥 (@anouarfrk) June 18, 2022
Actions taken in response to the Chapstick challenge
TikTok denied there was any challenge. According to a statement sent to EuroNews:
“At TikTok, the safety and well-being of our community are our top priorities, and we haven’t seen any indication of such a trend.” As part of our commitment to keeping our community safe, our review will continue, and if we discover information that violates our standards, it will be deleted.”
In France, where the movement appears to be gaining ground, the government took the situation extremely seriously and issued a warning on Twitter.
Other harmful TikTok trends that have already gone viral
TikTok is known for encouraging trends that encourage self-harm and mental pain. Other incredibly popular trends include:
1) “Blackout challenge”, in which contestants had to hold their breath until they passed out.
2) “The Penny Challenge,” in which TikTok users plugged the charger halfway into an outlet and then held a penny on the exposed prongs. The individual could experience an electric shock, cause a fire, or suffer permanent injury.
3) The “Milkcrate Challenge” requires contestants to climb a structure made up of milk crates organized like stairs.
No matter how hard the backend staff try to remove these dangerous movies from their app, certain tasks, such as the chapstick challenge, can slip through the cracks. Users are advised to immediately report anyone who advocates or participates in the “Chapstick Challenge” or any other similar video that encourages suicide or self-harm.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education