{"id":2227465,"date":"2024-04-22T17:32:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T21:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mother-sues-tiktok-after-sons-death-says-he-would-be-alive-today-if-he-hadnt-seen-those-videos\/"},"modified":"2024-04-22T17:33:39","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T21:33:39","slug":"mother-sues-tiktok-after-sons-death-says-he-would-be-alive-today-if-he-hadnt-seen-those-videos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mother-sues-tiktok-after-sons-death-says-he-would-be-alive-today-if-he-hadnt-seen-those-videos\/","title":{"rendered":"Mother blames TikTok for son&#8217;s death, believes he&#8217;d be alive without the videos"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmother-sues-tiktok-after-sons-death-says-he-would-be-alive-today-if-he-hadnt-seen-those-videos%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2227465&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A mother from \u2063Arkansas is suing\u200b TikTok following her son&#8217;s suicide, attributed to the platform&#8217;s content. Jennie DeSerio claims the algorithms&#8217; harmful influence led to her 16-year-old\u2064 son&#8217;s tragic death in 2022. She and \u200bother parents are holding\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ga-poll-watcher-it-expert-non-trump-supporter-affidavit-sudden-surge-of-20000-mail-in-votes-for-biden-in-early-hours-on-nov\/\" title=\"GA Poll Watcher, IT Expert, Non-Trump Supporter Affidavit: Sudden Surge of 20,000 Mail-In-Votes For Biden In Early Hours On Nov\">social media companies<\/a>\u200d accountable\u2063 for allegedly contributing to their children&#8217;s deaths. TikTok denies full responsibility, emphasizing efforts\u200d to ensure a safe user experience.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/news\/\">  News <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/igcolonel\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/igcolonel\/%20\"><span>Warner Todd Huston<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   April 22, 2024 at 1:40pm <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>A mother from Arkansas is suing TikTok after her son committed suicide, egged on, she says, by the content the platform\u2019s algorithms steadily fed him.<\/p>\n<p>Jennie DeSerio\u2019s 16-year-old son Mason Edens died by suicide in November 2022 after a bad breakup, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/social-media\/tiktok-suicide-videos-lawsuit-social-media-self-harm-rcna146680\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBC News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Months after the boy\u2019s death, DeSerio began to look through his TikTok account, and what she found shocked and infuriated her.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly before taking his own life, Mason had seen and liked \u201cdozens of graphic videos about breakups, depression and suicide,\u201d NBC reported.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, Mason had liked at least 15 videos that openly promoted suicide, including the very method he used to kill himself. Some of the videos, reviewed by NBC, are still up on TikTok and have garnered tens of thousands of likes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI completely believe in my heart that Mason would be alive today had he not seen those TikTok videos,\u201d DeSerio said.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">After her son\u2019s suicide, she turned to his phone for answers.<\/p>\n<p>She found at least 15 videos on TikTok he had liked that directly promoted suicide.<\/p>\n<p>Now, she\u2019s part of a lawsuit against several social media companies over the harms they allegedly cause. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/uIHP9UlIlu\">https:\/\/t.co\/uIHP9UlIlu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NBC News (@NBCNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBCNews\/status\/1782409171289182503?\">April 22, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>  DeSerio has now joined eight other parents in suing TikTok, among other social media platforms. Their lawsuit alleges that the content the platforms pushed on their children led to their deaths.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTikTok targeted Mason with AI driven feed-based tools,\u201d the lawsuit says. \u201cIt collected his private information, without his knowledge or consent, and in manners that far exceeded anything a reasonable consumer would anticipate or allow.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Should TikTok be considered liable in Mason Edens&#8217; death?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt then used such personal data to target him with extreme and deadly subject matters, such as violence, self-harm, and suicide promotion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For the most part, social media companies are shielded from legal liability for the content they host by Section 230, part of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. To get around Section 230, DeSerio\u2019s lawsuit and others rely on claims of defective product design.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is our contention that TikTok in particular is an unreasonably dangerous product, because it is addictive to young people,\u201d said Social Media Victims Law Center attorney Matthew Bergman, who is representing DeSerio and the other parents in the case.<\/p>\n<p>For its part, TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, says it works diligently to mitigate the issues raised by the lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>The platform has rules against videos that promote <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/left-wrong-trans-suicides-surge-following-gender-affirming-surgeries-study-shows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">suicide<\/a> or self-harm, but many still evade the safeguards it has in place to screen them out.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement, TikTok said it \u201ccontinues to take industry-leading steps to provide a safe and positive experience for teens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DeSerio says it isn\u2019t enough. \u201cA 16-year-old boy should never be sent videos like that on TikTok. They\u2019re not going to self-regulate until there\u2019s true accountability,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>In January, DeSerio and nearly 400 other parents signed a letter to the U.S. Senate sent by Fairplay and the American Association for Justice demanding that Congress hold Big Tech accountable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is time that we put American children and their safety first and foremost ahead of Big Tech profits,\u201d DeSerio said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.org\/resources\/press-center\/four-hundred-grieving-parents-call-on-senate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news release<\/a> regarding the letter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur children are not only our future, but they are our most precious asset. It is time for our legislators to place the lives and safety of American children at the top of their political agendas.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to NBC, DeSerio was also present at a Senate Judiciary Committee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=a8waUqfalYg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hearing<\/a> in January about social media and child safety. The hearing featured testimony from TikTok CEO Shou Chew and Meta CEO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/sen-josh-hawley-goes-scorched-earth-zuckerberg-forces-apologize-victims-app-sexual-exploitation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mark Zuckerberg<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Suicide has risen among young Americans, with many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bickley-npr-targets-daily-wire-implicitly-presses-facebook-to-suppress-traffic-its-time-to-fight-back\/\" title=\"BICKLEY: NPR Targets Daily Wire, Implicitly Presses Facebook To Suppress Traffic. It\u2019s Time To Fight Back.\">blaming social media<\/a>. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate for those between the ages of 10 and 24 skyrocketed <a href=\"https:\/\/stacks.cdc.gov\/view\/cdc\/128423\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">62 percent<\/a> from 2007 to 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Lisa Dittmer, a researcher at Amnesty International, told NBC that TikTok can worsen suicidal thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not so much that your average teenager will automatically turn depressive or suicidal from being on TikTok, but for young people who have that thinking in their head, TikTok will just latch on to your interest and your vulnerability and amplify that relentlessly,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe more you are exposed to something, the lower your threshold for acting on your own thoughts or desires to die can be,\u201d added Megan Chesin, a professor of psychology at William Paterson University.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, DeSerio feels that she has a renewed purpose in life as she tries to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/age-verification-and-other-proposals-would-help-protect-kids-from-toxic-social-media\/\" title=\"Age Verification And Other Proposals Would Help Protect Kids From Toxic Social Media\">hold social media companies accountable<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought my purpose as his mom died that night with him,\u201d DeSerio told NBC. \u201cLittle did I know that my purpose just transformed.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>I heard a chilling comment the other day: \u201cWe don\u2019t even know if an election will be held in 2024.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>That wasn\u2019t said by a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday prophet. No, former U.S. national security advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said that to the founder of The Western Journal, Floyd Brown.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Gen. Flynn\u2019s warning means that the 2024 election is the most important election for every single living American. If we lose this one to the wealthy elites who hate us, hate God, and hate what America stands for, we can only assume that 248 years of American history and the values we hold dear to our hearts may soon vanish.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The end game is here, and as Benjamin Franklin said, \u201cWe must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>All of this means that <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>without you<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>, it\u2019s over. We have the platform, the journalists, and the experience to fight back hard, but Big Tech is strangling us through advertising blacklists, shadow bans, and algorithms. Did you know that we\u2019ve been blacklisted by 90% of advertisers? Without direct support from you, our readers, we can\u2019t continue the fight.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Can we count on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>your support<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>? It may not seem like much, but a <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Western Journal Membership<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  can make all the difference in the world because when you support us directly, you cut Big Tech out of the picture. They lose control. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>A monthly Western Journal Membership costs less than one coffee and breakfast sandwich each month, and it gets you access to ALL of our content \u2014 news, commentary, and premium articles. You\u2019ll experience a radically reduced number of ads, and most importantly you will be vitally supporting the fight for America\u2019s soul in 2024.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We are literally counting on you because without our members, The Western Journal would cease to exist. Will you <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>join us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  in the fight? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Sincerely,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Josh Manning<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Deputy Managing Editor<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Western Journal<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-43\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/igcolonel\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-43\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-43\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-43\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-43\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Warner Todd Huston has been writing editorials and news since 2001 but started his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/byron-donalds-takes-shot-at-host-of-the-view-dares-panel-to-invite-him-on-as-a-guest\/\" title=\"Byron Donalds Takes Shot at Host of 'The View,' Dares Panel to Invite Him On as a Guest\">writing career penning articles<\/a> about U.S. history back in the early 1990s. Huston has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN and several local Chicago news programs to discuss the issues of the day. Additionally, he is a regular guest on radio programs from coast to coast. Huston has also been a Breitbart News contributor since 2009. Warner works out of the Chicago area, a place he calls a &#8220;target-rich environment&#8221; for political news. Follow him on Truth Social at @WarnerToddHuston.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Warner Todd Huston has been writing editorials and news since 2001 but started his writing career penning articles about U.S. history back in the early 1990s. Huston has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN and several local Chicago news programs to discuss the issues of the day. Additionally, he is a regular guest on radio programs from coast to coast. Huston has also been a Breitbart News contributor since 2009. Warner works out of the Chicago area, a place he calls a &#8220;target-rich environment&#8221; for political news. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Arkansas, a mother sues TikTok for her son&#8217;s suicide, attributing it to the platform&#8217;s harmful content pushed by algorithms. Jennie DeSerio&#8217;s son, Mason Edens, aged 16, tragically died by suicide following a breakup in November 2022, as reported by NBC News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":180,"featured_media":2227466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/jd.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2227465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/jd.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/180"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2227465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227465\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2227466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2227465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2227465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2227465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}