‘French scar’ leaves another mark on TikTok’s painful week

TikTok’s rough week in the west went from bad to worse today when Italian authorities slapped the app with a €10mn fine over a viral challenge called the “French scar.” The game invites users to pinch their cheeks until they leave a lasting bruise. It became particularly popular in Italy, which prompted scrutiny from the country’s competition regulator. Following a probe, investigators concluded that TikTok had failed to protect users from “the potentially dangerous” content. The watchdog warned that the French scar threatened the “psycho-physical safety” of users — particularly minors and vulnerable people. “Moreover, this content is systematically re-proposed…

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