Internet challenges have been passing through social media for years. Many are harmless and can be fun.
But every so often one challenge proves to be dangerous.
Mason Dark, a 16-year-old boy, was left with severe burns covering 80 percent of his body after he tried to do a TikTok challenge. The Wake Forest, North Carolina teenager was sent to the hospital after he tried to create a makeshift blowtorch using a spray paint can and a lighter.
Holli Dark, the teen's mother, told the local news the accident left her son "unrecognizable." She went on to say she heard a loud sound and then her son ran outside and jumped into a river next to their house.
You can see local news coverage here:
Dark is in the burn unit at the University of North Carolina hospital.
He has undergone several skin grafts and surgeries and it is expected that he will be there for six months.
Social media had a lot to say about this case.
Many placed all the blame on Dark.
\u201c@meech2477 @DailyLoud Even in my teens I wasn\u2019t this stupid with challenges \ud83d\udc80\u201d— Daily Loud (@Daily Loud) 1682778670
\u201c@9illeh @DailyLoud Parents can tell their kids right from wrong until they're blue in the face. Also, parents, are not with their kids 24 hrs a day and unfortunately kids, who are individuals, make consequential choices.\u201d— Daily Loud (@Daily Loud) 1682778670
\u201c@9illeh @DailyLoud Literally kids were like this before social media. They just have an excuse now\ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d— Daily Loud (@Daily Loud) 1682778670
\u201c@9illeh @DailyLoud He\u2019s 16. He perfectly knew that it was dangerous, lesson learned\u201d— Daily Loud (@Daily Loud) 1682778670
Some placed blame on Dark's parents.
\u201c@DailyLoud Parents gonna blame TikTok instead of blaming their parenting skills \ud83e\udd21\u201d— Daily Loud (@Daily Loud) 1682778670
\u201c@Giodewappie \n\nSome parents are blaming TikTok instead of taking responsibility for their own parenting.\u201d— Daily Loud (@Daily Loud) 1682778670
Others blamed social media in general.
\u201c@DailyLoud How is that a challenge?\u201d— Daily Loud (@Daily Loud) 1682778670
A GoFundMe was set up by his grandmother, Heidi Simpson, to cover his hospital costs, food, gas and rent for his family.
In six days, the fund received more than $40,000.
rPolitics/Reddit
@leftynavyseal/Bluesky
rPolitics/Reddit
@skippyoz/Bluesky
rPolitics/Reddit
rPolitics/Reddit
rPolitics/Reddit
jordi baste robot GIF by No pot ser! TV3
sing schitts creek GIF by CBC
Well Done Ok GIF by funk
Two Face Ernst GIF by ZWEIMANN
