Two severe cases in the United States have renewed concern over the dangers of viral online challenges, from dangerous breath-holding games to extreme drug use. Health experts warn that alongside harmless entertainment, social networks continue to spread harmful trends that can lead to serious injury or death.
In recent weeks, several incidents in the U.S. have drawn attention. One involved Jacqueline, also known as Jacqueline Kay, Blackwell, a 9-year-old girl from Texas. According to her family, she died after trying to imitate the so-called “blackout challenge,” a dangerous trend that encourages restricting oxygen to the body in order to briefly lose consciousness. Another case involved a 12-year-old boy from New York who died after choking while attempting a different online challenge. A separate report said a 15-year-old girl was hospitalized in critical condition after taking a dangerous amount of medication as part of a challenge circulating on social media.
Therapist Mazit Rafman Nadav said children and teenagers are often not drawn to dangerous challenges because they want to take risks, but because they are seeking belonging, recognition, and visibility. “Behind many dangerous trends there is not a desire to take risks, but a deep need for belonging, recognition and the feeling that ‘I am seen,’” she said. She added that repeated exposure can normalize the behavior, making it seem acceptable or even expected.
Rafman Nadav said parents should not focus only on monitoring phones, but also on their children’s emotional state. “A child who feels safe, loved and valued needs less approval from the virtual world,” she said. She urged families to discuss online safety routinely, not only after an incident, and said the most effective response is open communication and trust rather than fear or punishment. Experts also stressed that even a single attempt at the blackout challenge can cause irreversible brain damage, loss of consciousness, severe injuries from falls, or death.
