Labello challenge is a new trend on TikTok that worries some parents about the health of their children. Influencers and governments are mobilizing to prevent action in response to the Labello challenge’s hazard. There have not yet been any recorded casualties.
The most recent moral panic on TikTok that is going viral in France and Belgium is the “Labello Challenge.” According to the trend, people should use Labello chapstick if they’re feeling depressed and then kill themselves when the tube runs out.
The dangers of the Labello Challenge
Every generation has its trendy game, and every game has its excesses. Like a macabre task, the “Labello Challenge,” which has been going around on the TikTok social network for a few days, is no exception. The idea behind it is unsettling: the user is required to record himself applying lip balm each day, and as soon as the video is through, he is encouraged to commit suicide. Even though there hasn’t been a victim found in France yet, the Labello challenge’s hashtags have received millions of views, which should worry parents.
Precautions that you can take about the Labello Challenge
TikTok, like any social media, has been a source of entertainment for children and teenagers, as is the case of Bubblegum pink comments that we wrote in another article: TikTok’s ugly face: Bubblegum pink comments. The potential for such danger shouldn’t be overlooked. The Labello challenge has to be addressed by the app and possibly by governments. Nevertheless, there are a few things that parents can do to protect their kids.
As a result of the Labello challenge’s danger, several influencers have cautioned their audience, including Pharaone, who is followed by about 107,000 people and whose video has had over a million views: “If you have children, brothers, or sisters, be careful.” Additionally, the Home Office posted a cautionary tweet on Twitter with the following advice: “Be alert, listen to the young people around you if you see a behavior change.”
Even though the Labello challenge has not been widely adopted by teenagers, Justine Atlan, head of the association E-childhood, praises “preventive identification of administrations”. Young individuals who are doing well may not be affected, but the frailest and weak may be open to this problem, she cautions. When in doubt, Justine Atlan recommends parents call 3018, a hotline against cyberbullying open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., six days a week. For “suicide prevention,” the number 3114 is also available around the clock on all seven days of the week. Keep in mind that these two numbers are uncharged.
The German company Beiersdorf, which owns the lip balm brand, responded to BFM Business on May 11 last year, with concerns about the outcomes of such a challenge. To “ask for aid” and “contact, for example, the official helpline provided by the public authorities on 3114,” the group urges anyone in need or whose family is in condition. On the other hand, TikTok has advised its administrators to immediately remove any content that encourages TikTokeurs to take part in this kind of competition. The social network is frequently criticized for having little control over difficulties of this nature.
To report any issues that you come across, you can go to Tiktok’s support site where you can fill out forms and inform authorities about dangerous issues such as the Labello challenge. Any report makes the social sphere more secure as it helps officials to take action.
