The Supreme Court of Venezuela fined TikTok $10 million on Monday. TikTok has been accused of not taking preventive measures for viral video challenges, which are said to have led to the deaths of three Venezuelan children.
Justice Tania D’Amelio stated that TikTok’s conduct was negligent. The court ordered TikTok to pay the fine within eight days and to open an office in Venezuela, from where it will ensure compliance with local laws on content.
The court did not specify the method it would use to recover the penalty amount from TikTok. Earlier, Venezuela banned dozens of websites that did not comply with Telecommunications Commission regulations.
There has been no reaction from TikTok on this decision.
A series of TikTok challenges and deaths:
In November, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro blamed a TikTok challenge for the death of a 12-year-old girl. The challenge required taking tranquilizer tablets to prevent sleepiness. Education Minister Hector Rodriguez stated that a 14-year-old boy died during a TikTok challenge, which involved inhaling toxic substances. On November 21, Venezuela’s Attorney General blamed the TikTok challenge for another child’s death.
The tradition of banning TikTok:
Along with the crackdown on TikTok, the Maduro-led government has banned several media outlets. More than 60 websites belonging to human rights groups and news organizations have been blocked, according to the organization “VE Sin Filtro.”
In August, Venezuela banned X (formerly Twitter) as thousands of citizens took to the streets against Maduro’s re-election. Maduro accused X owner Elon Musk of using the social media platform to attack Venezuela. Musk accused Maduro of election fraud.
Social media platforms were used to carry out the attacks. Musk accused Maduro of election fraud.
The ban lasted ten days, but X is still blocked by state-owned internet provider Movilnet. However, X is currently accessible from private internet providers.
Analysis of the Government’s Digital Policy:
This example in Venezuela shows the direction of the government’s digital policy. It is trying to ensure compliance with laws by imposing strict restrictions on platforms like TikTok, but these restrictions have been criticized as affecting freedom of expression.
The case has increased pressure for TikTok and other social media platforms to follow the rules. This decision taken by Venezuela has become a topic of global discussion.