He was only 12 years old, Sebastian. In recent days his life has tragically interrupted after trying to participate in one of the most absurd and dangerous challenges ever circulated on social media: the “Blackout Challenge”. A desperate race in the hospital was not enough to save him: the rescue came after an emergency call, but for Sebastian there was nothing to do.
He died a few hours after arrival in the hospital, in the town of Castleford, in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. The investigations are still in progress, but the authorities at the moment do not suspect it is a crime.
But what really happened?
What is the Blackout Challenge?
It is a viral challenge, yet another dangerous, which still runs on Tiktok and other social networks. Again, because already a few years ago we talked about it following the death of A 10 year old girl Found by parents with a belt tied to the neck.
We talked about it here: Blackout Challenge: what is the dangerous challenge in vogue on Tiktok and how to protect the little ones
For this horrendous challenge, the boys try cause a temporary fainting by blocking your breath. A crazy practice that has already caused several victims in the world: there is talk of at least 20 deaths, 15 of which are among children under 12 years of age.
To tell who the little Sebastian was thought about Agnieszka Czerniejewska, promoter of a fundraiser in his memory. His words are a punch in the stomach:
Sebastian was only 12 years old. He played the guitar and the self -taught keyboard, he loved to draw and was always smiling and kind. His parents did everything to grow up happy and loved him. Then, in a moment, everything changed. No parent should ever be able to bury a child.
Families are no longer there and here and there are many parents who have decided to sue Tiktok, accusing the algorithm of exposing their children to dangerous content, without any filter or protection. An accusation that reopens a matter too often ignored: how much are the social networks really for the youngest?
And above all, what can we do? Much more than we think.
The boys need to know that we are there and beyond: let’s talk to our children of what they do online, we ask what they look at, with those who speak, what inspires them. We never take anything for granted.
