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Mother Blames TikTok For Daughter’s Death in ‘Blackout Challenge’ Suit
Christian Hetrick
Christian Hetrick is dot.LA's Entertainment Tech Reporter. He was formerly a business reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and reported on New Jersey politics for the Observer and the Press of Atlantic City.
The mother of a 10-year-old girl who died after allegedly trying a dangerous online “challenge” has sued Culver City-based TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, claiming the social media app’s algorithm showed her videos of people choking themselves until they pass out.
Nylah Anderson, an intelligent child who already spoke three languages, was “excruciatingly asphyxiated” and found unconscious in her bedroom on Dec. 7, according to a complaint filed Thursday in federal court in Pennsylvania. She spent five days in pediatric intensive care until succumbing to her injuries.
The lawsuit, filed by her mother Tawainna Anderson, claims TikTok’s algorithm had previously shown Nylah videos depicting the “Blackout Challenge,” in which people hold their breath or choke themselves with household items to achieve a euphoric feeling. That encouraged her to try it herself, the lawsuit alleged.
“The TikTok Defendants’ algorithm determined that the deadly Blackout Challenge was well-tailored and likely to be of interest to 10-year-old Nylah Anderson, and she died as a result,” the suit said.
In a previous statement about Nylah’s death, a TikTok spokesperson noted the “disturbing” challenge predates TikTok, pointing to a 2008 warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about deadly choking games. The spokesperson claimed the challenge “has never been a TikTok trend.” The app currently doesn’t produce any search results for “Blackout Challenge” or a related hashtag.
“We remain vigilant in our commitment to user safety and would immediately remove related content if found,” the TikTok statement said. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the family for their tragic loss.”
At least four other children or teens have died after allegedly attempting the Blackout Challenge, according to the Anderson lawsuit. TikTok has grappled with dangerous challenges on its platform before, including one in which people tried to climb a stack of milk crates. That was considered so dangerous that TikTok banned the hashtag associated with it last year. In February, TikTok updated its content rules to combat the dangerous acts and other harmful content.
The Anderson lawsuit comes as lawmakers and state attorneys general scrutinize how TikTok and other social media can be bad for teens and younger users, including by damaging their mental health, causing negative feelings about their body image and making them addicted to the apps.
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Christian Hetrick
Christian Hetrick is dot.LA's Entertainment Tech Reporter. He was formerly a business reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and reported on New Jersey politics for the Observer and the Press of Atlantic City.
⚖️FTC’s "Click to Cancel" Rule and Its Ripple Effect on Tech
09:58 AM | October 18, 2024
🔦 Spotlight
Happy Friday Los Angeles,
The FTC’s new “Click to Cancel” rule is shaking up subscription-based tech. Now, instead of navigating a maze of cancellation hurdles, users can cancel subscriptions as easily as they signed up—with a single click. This shift is a wake-up call for SaaS, streaming, and app-based companies, where once-hidden exit options often kept users around simply because canceling was a hassle.
The rule also requires businesses to send regular renewal reminders, ensuring customers stay informed about upcoming charges. It's more than a cancellation button—it’s about transparency and giving users control over their decisions.
For startups, the impact goes deeper than UX adjustments. Many have relied on "dark patterns," which subtly discourage cancellations by hiding the exit. Now, companies must shift toward building genuine loyalty by delivering real value, not by complicating exits.
While this might affect retention rates initially, it could lead to more sustainable business models that rely on satisfaction-driven loyalty. Investors may start prioritizing companies that emphasize transparent, long-term engagement over those that depend on dark patterns to maintain retention metrics.
The rule opens the door to more ethical UX design and a truly user-centered approach across the tech industry. It may even set a precedent against manipulative design in other areas, such as privacy settings or payment methods.
Ultimately, the “Click to Cancel” rule presents an opportunity for the tech industry to foster trust and build stronger customer relationships. Startups and established companies that embrace transparency will likely stand out as leaders in a new era of customer-centric tech, where trust—not tricky design—is what retains users.
As the tech landscape continues to evolve, LA Tech Week 2024 offers a chance to explore these shifts in real-time. Check out the upcoming event lineups to stay informed and make the most of your time:
For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.
🤝 Venture Deals
LA Companies
- Ghost, a company supporting top brands and retailers with streamlined logistics and fulfillment solutions, raised a $40M Series C funding round led by L Catterton to fuel its continued growth and innovation. - learn more
- Hello Cake, a sexual wellness and health brand, raised an $18M Series B funding round led by Silas Capital and Strand Equity and acquired Trigg Laboratories, a Las Vegas-based company, to expand its product line and market presence. - learn more
- Horizon Surgical Systems, a microsurgical robotics company, has raised a $30M Series A funding round led by ExSight Ventures to advance its platform, fund first-in-human studies, and expand its team to drive further innovation. - learn more
- Terray Therapeutics, a biotech company using generative AI to develop small-molecule therapeutics, raised $120M in a Series B funding round led by Bedford Ridge Capital and NVentures, to advance it’s internal programs to clinical trials and further develop its AI-driven platform, tNova. - learn more
LA Venture Funds
- Finality Capital Partners participated in a $2.85M seed round for Blockcast, a decentralized content delivery network focused on lowering streaming costs and enhancing quality for digital media providers. - learn more
- Assembly Ventures participated in a $27M Series A round for Monogoto, a provider of software-defined connectivity solutions that enable secure, cloud-based IoT and cellular network management on a global scale. - learn more
- StoryHouse Ventures participated in a $3M seed round for Parakeet Health, a generative AI company dedicated to enhancing patient engagement for healthcare providers - learn more
- Angeleno Group participated in a $32M Series C round for REsurety, a company that recently launched an innovative clean energy marketplace aimed at providing better financial and operational insights to support renewable energy transactions. - learn more
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LA Tech Week 2024: Saturday-Sunday Event Lineup
07:09 PM | October 10, 2024
tech-week
Here’s what’s happening during the closing weekend (Oct 19 - Oct 20) of LA Tech Week 2024! Events are organized by location so you can easily catch the sessions that interest you most.
SATURDAY EVENTS
BEVERLY HILLS
12:00 PM
- BIG Showcase (Invite Only):
BIG Showcase (Invite Only)
2:00 PM
- AI, Media & Conscious Leadership: Upleveling Humanity Together:See Details Here
Light Dao
- LA Tech Week Wind Down Party:See Details Here
Struck Capital, Seahorse Express
EAGLE ROCK
12:00 PM
- Shopify Fall Shop & Stroll:See Details
Sunrise Integration, Shopify
EL SEGUNDO
9:00 PM
- "Fix the Timeline" Gundo x LA Tech Week Party:See Details
Administratum, Valar Atomics
HOLLYWOOD
10:00 AM
- LA Tech Week 2024 Hackathon:See Details
Passes
MALIBU
6:00 PM
- Malibu Beachfront Investors Networking & Wine Tasting:See Details
Gaya Ventures
MARINA DEL RAY
6:00 PM
Sagos Distro, Alma Wellness
SANTA MONICA
7:00 AM
- Founders Running Club: See Details
Founders Running Club
8:30 AM
- Morning Bike Ride: See Details
Techstars
9:00 AM
- Magic Mornings Yoga Club: See Details
Magic Mind
- Investment Week 2024: See Details
StartupStarter, Inc., City of Santa Monica
10:00 AM
- Founder + Funder Power Walk: See Details
Gen She
- AI LA Life Summit : See Details
AI LA
- Innovation that HIITs: See Details
Crea, Barry's, Unsubscribe
10:30 AM
- Experiential Beauty Activation: See Details
Plantologist
11:30 AM
- Pickleball Palooza (Invite Only)
YouTube
1:00 PM
- Realfren Games: From strangers to an inner Realfren within 52 weekends: See Details
Office for Humanity and Circuit Works
- Talking blockchain technology with special guests: See Details
LadyDayDao
5:00 PM
- Dorm Rooms to Boardrooms: See Details
KARD, What's Plots
THE VALLEY
7:00 AM
- The Other LA Startup Community: See Details
Camino5
VENICE
9:00 AM
- Beach Yoga & Meditation: See Details
Westside Yogis
11:00 AM
- Open x LA Tech Week: See Details
Open App
1:00 PM
- The Gear Down: Sauna + Ice + Workshop: See Details
Ripe and Teddy's Hot House
4:00 PM
- Fashion Forward: How AI is Redefining the Fashion Industry: See Details
VIAVIA, BNTO.RENT, ALMA.AI
VIRTUAL
11:00 AM
- Virtual Team Immersion In The Creator Economy: See Details
BLCK UNICRN
WEST HOLLYWOOD
7:00 PM
- Next Sequence: AI x Bio: See Details
Next Sequence
SUNDAY EVENTS
INGLEWOOD
12:00 PM
- SOFI VIP BOX SUITES: RAMS vs RAIDERS Game: See Details
Entrepreneur Ventures, VCPE GROUPS
PLAYA DEL RAY
2:00 PM
- Cerebral Beach LA Tech Week Recovery: See Details
AI LA, DELL, NVIDIA
SANTA MONICA
10:00 AM
- Women Founders, Cold Brew & Beach View, Rooftop: See Details
Clutch Talent
11:00 AM
- Beach Cleanup with Less Litter Foundation: See Details
11DollarSunglasses.com, Less Litter Foundation
12:00 PM
- Data in LA Meet Up Mixer: See Details
Data in LA, Amplitude
12:30 AM
- Impact Investment Lunch: See Details
New Moon, Warner UK Innovations
TOPANGA CANYON
3:00 PM
- Dreamore Tech Week Hike Party and Picnic: See Details
Dreamore
VENICE
8:00 AM
- Surf session with founders, investors, creators: See Details
Surfed Club, Bow Shock
12:00 PM
- Podcast Panel and Brunch: LA Tech Community Builders: See Details
WeAreLATech.com, Blankspaces.com
VIRTUAL
2:00 PM
- Build A Custom Immersive Experience: See Details
BLCK UNICRN
For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.
Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!
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