Viral challenges on short-video feeds
An overview of the recurring class of dares that algorithmic feeds surface to children, with dedicated advisories on choking and pass-out dares, unsafe diphenhydramine use, and the heated squishy-toy trend.
- Most relevant to:
- Ages 9–12, 13–15
- Published:
- Last reviewed:
Start here: Keep an open, non-judgmental dialogue so they'll tell you what's circulating at school and in their feed.
What is happening
- Algorithmic feeds surface hazardous 'challenges' — choking/pass-out dares, ingesting or inhaling substances, fire and stunt dares, and everyday objects used in ways they were never meant to be — and a single viral clip can reach millions of children in days.
- Social pressure and view-chasing drive copycats; most dares are harmless, but a recurring few (e.g. the 'Blackout Challenge' and the 'Benadryl Challenge') have hospitalized or killed children.
- They are ever-evolving: a dare fades, then resurfaces months later under a new name, so yesterday's list is never complete. This is why our system continuously scans for new and resurging challenges, and gives the most lethal ones their own advisories.
- Not every viral scare is real: some 'challenges' (the 'Momo' panic is the classic case) are hoaxes that spread as panicked warnings faster than any actual dare. The alarm itself can introduce children to the idea — which is why we corroborate before we publish.
Why it matters
Potential impact: Copycat dares in this class have hospitalized and killed children. A second, quieter harm is the panicked forward: a warning that names and describes a dare can teach it to children who had never heard of it.
Recommended next step: Review soon. Worth reviewing or discussing this week.
What to watch for
- Imitating risky stunts, or talk of a specific named 'challenge', dare, or 'trend'.
- Unexplained injuries, marks, or missing household items, and an obsession with going viral.
What parents can do
- Keep an open, non-judgmental dialogue so they'll tell you what's circulating at school and in their feed.
- Use Family Pairing / restricted modes and explain how algorithms amplify extremes.
- Treat any named dare as worth a quick look — search the name with the word 'danger' or 'warning' — and report harmful content when you see it.
- Before forwarding a viral warning to other parents, check whether the named dare is confirmed or a hoax — panicked reposts are how hoaxes reach children.
Start the conversation
“What's going round at school at the moment? I'd rather hear about it from you than from a warning email.”
Say it in your own words, before anything has gone wrong. A child who has heard this once already knows where to go the day it matters.
Specific advisories under this topic
This page is the overview. These named dares carry enough specific, verified detail to get their own advisory.
Choking and pass-out challenges on video feeds
Videos may encourage children to choke themselves or hold their breath until they pass out. These behaviours can cause brain injury or death, and there is no safe way to try them. Ask whether your child has seen related content.
Relevant to:TikTokYouTubeInstagramDangerous Challenge
The 'Benadryl Challenge' and unsafe diphenhydramine use
Some videos encourage teens to take unsafe amounts of diphenhydramine to hallucinate. An overdose can cause seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, or death. Explain the risk plainly, and store medicines where they are not simply available.
Relevant to:TikTokYouTubeDangerous Challenge
Heated squishy-toy trend and burn risk
Videos have encouraged children to microwave gel-filled squishy toys, best known as NeeDoh, to change how they squish. The sealed toy bursts and the scalding gel sticks to skin.
Relevant to:ToysTikTokYouTubeDangerous Challenge
Also on our watchlist
- Chroming — Inhaling household chemicals for a high; can cause sudden death the first time.
- Fire Challenge — Setting oneself alight on camera; severe and disfiguring burns.
- Skull Breaker Challenge — Kicking someone's legs out mid-jump; head, neck, and spine injuries.
- Borg / Blackout Rage Gallon — An extreme binge-drinking trend among teens; alcohol poisoning.
Sources and evidence
Evidence: Confirmed. Corroborated by two or more independent organizations — safety bodies, regulators, researchers, or established newsrooms. Last reviewed
If this is happening now
- If a child has attempted a dare and is unwell, treat it as a medical emergency first — call emergency services, and Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) for anything swallowed or inhaled.
- Report the clip in the app. Search results for several of these now return a safety notice instead of videos, and that only holds while clips keep being reported.
- Before forwarding a warning to other parents, check it against a named source. Many circulating 'challenges' are hoaxes, and the warning is what spreads them.
If a child is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. To report online exploitation, use the NCMEC CyberTipline, or Take It Down to get an image removed.
Get the signal without the noise
One concise briefing when something meaningfully changes — what happened, who it may affect, and one practical next step. See a sample issue.