Mother whose child died in TikTok challenge urges US court to revive lawsuit

FILE PHOTO: TikTok logo is seen in this illustration taken, June 2, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday wrestled with whether the video-based social media platform TikTok could be sued for causing a 10-year-old girl's death by promoting a deadly "blackout challenge" that encouraged people to choke themselves.

Members of a three-judge panel of the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals noted during oral arguments that a key federal law typically shields internet companies like TikTok from lawsuits for content posted by users.