TikTok sued in France for ’brainwashing teens into suicide’; ByteDance refutes allegations

An unfortunate incident that took place three years ago still remains a pressing concern, shining a harsh light on the darker side of social media. Stephanie Mistre, a resident of Cassis in southern France, found her 15-year-old daughter, Marie, lifeless in her bedroom in September 2021. Marie had taken her own life, leaving behind a devastated family and a trail of questions about the role of TikTok’s algorithm in her death.

Delving into her daughter’s phone after the tragedy, Mistre was horrified to find an array of videos promoting suicide methods, tutorials, and comments that encouraged users to go beyond “mere suicide attempts.”