Italy watchdog forces TikTok to remove ‘French scar’ challenge videos

TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, and other social media companies including Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, are under pressure from regulators around the globe to protect children from harmful content on their platforms. — Unsplash

ROME: Italy’s communications authority Agcom on Feb 16 said it had forced social media app TikTok to remove some videos showing young people performing a dangerous practice known as the “French scar”.

The “French scar” challenge involves pinching your cheek to leave a lasting bruise on your cheekbone. It became popular among young Italian users of the app last year, prompting an investigation by Italy’s antitrust authority.