CARACAS, Venezuela — On Monday, Venezuela’s Supreme Court imposed a fine of $10 million on TikTok, citing the platform’s failure to take necessary steps to prevent dangerous viral video challenges linked to the deaths of three children in the country.
Judge Tania D’Amelio criticized TikTok for its negligence, granting the company an eight-day period to remit the payment. Furthermore, the court mandated that TikTok establish a local office in Venezuela tasked with overseeing content and ensuring it adheres to regional laws.
Currently, the logistics of enforcing this fine remain unclear, especially considering that TikTok’s parent company is based in China. Venezuela has previously blocked numerous websites that did not comply with requirements from its telecommunications authority.
As of now, TikTok has not provided a statement regarding these developments. In November, President Nicolas Maduro attributed the tragic death of a 12-year-old girl to a TikTok challenge that involved consuming tranquilizer pills in an attempt to stay awake. Additionally, Venezuela’s Education Minister Hector Rodriguez reported that a 14-year-old lost their life due to a TikTok challenge involving the inhalation of various substances. Furthermore, on November 21, the country’s attorney general linked the platform’s challenges to the deaths of a third child.
The government has rigorously restricted media access, shutting down numerous radio stations and television channels under Maduro’s administration due to their reporting practices. According to VE Sin Filtro, an organization monitoring media freedoms in Venezuela, over sixty websites belonging to human rights and news organizations have been blocked throughout this year.
In a notable move, the Venezuelan government banned the social media platform X, as large crowds organized protests in response to Maduro’s re-election. Initially imposed for ten days, this ban followed accusations from Maduro directed at Elon Musk, claiming that the platform was being used to execute attacks against Venezuela. Musk had previously alleged that Maduro rigged the elections that took place on July 28, which both the United Nations and the Carter Center indicated did not align with international electoral standards.
While X is now accessible via privately operated internet providers in Venezuela, it continues to be restricted by Movilnet, the state-run internet provider.
