Skullbreaker challenge

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The skullbreaker challenge, [1] also known as the tripping jump challenge, [2] is a physically dangerous internet challenge which surfaced on TikTok in 2020. It revolves around participants intentionally inflicting head trauma on each other, then uploading footage of the 'challenge' to social media.

Participants of the skullbreaker challenge carry out the challenge by working as a group of three; one person stands in the middle, usually on a hard surface, while the other two stand on either side of them, and strike the central participant's legs with a sweeping kick as the central participant jumps, so that they fall to the ground [3] and hit their head on the floor. [2]

Examples of injuries caused by the challenge include concussion, neck, head and spinal injuries. In response to the challenge circulating on their platform, TikTok took down videos of the challenge, stating in a press release that they do not allow videos featuring or encouraging challenges that would lead to injury, and that "Nobody wants their friends or family to get hurt filming a video or trying a stunt. It's not funny - and since we remove that sort of content, it certainly won't make you TikTok famous." [3]

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References

  1. "Teen Who Suffered Concussion in TikTok 'Skullbreaker Challenge' Now Works to Make Social Media Safer". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  2. 1 2 Lee, Bruce Y. "The 'Skull-Breaker Challenge' Spreads On TikTok, Here Is What Can Go Wrong". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  3. 1 2 "TikTok skull-breaker challenge danger warning". BBC News. 2020-03-04. Retrieved 2024-06-04.