TikTok is putting a foot down on the Milk Crate Challenge amid growing reports of injuries sustained while participating in the viral trend.
The challenge, which sees people climb up and down an unsecured pyramid made of milk crates, often ending in a catastrophic fall, gained popularity on the social media platform in early August.
TikTok issues warning against milk crate challenge amid nationwide injury reports
A TikTok spokesperson says the app “prohibits content that promotes or glorifies dangerous acts, and we remove videos and redirect searches to our Community Guidelines to discourage such content.”
“We encourage everyone to exercise caution in their behavior, whether online or offline,” the spokesperson adds.
TikTok’s statement about the Milk Crate Challenge comes as doctors and health officials issue their own warnings about its potential dangers.
“With COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise across the country, check with your local hospital to see if they have a bed available for you before attempting the #milkcratechallenge,” tweeted the Baltimore City Health Department on Monday .
When Conan O’Brien joked that he was waiting for the Food and Drug Administration to approve the trend before trying it, the agency responded on Twitter, “While we regulate milk, we can’t recommend you try it. Maybe enjoy a nice glass.
of 2% and return all those cartons to the supermarket? ”
George Gantsoudes, an orthopedic surgeon in Virginia, shared an example of the challenge in evil on Twitter, and noted that “surgeries needed to fix the problems caused by this may fall under the umbrella of ‘elective surgeries.’ ”
However, some hospitals are already seeing injuries associated with the Milk Crate Challenge.
An Atlanta-area medical worker on Sunday saw at least two people who had broken or fractured bones after falling off the crates.
Henry Schuitema, chief of emergency medicine at Jefferson Health in New Jersey, told The Washington Post that his hospital saw a patient who suffered several rib fractures due to the Milk Crate Challenge.
