Social media can be a fun way to connect with others, make friends, and a place to learn how to react to crazy video clips. But the scroll of insane stunts and tasteless pranks can be over-the-top to children and teens who may take everything they see a bit too seriously.

It’s the case with viral challenges posted to places like TikTok. Kids see content creators performing crazy challenges and think they can get likes the same way. But some of these challenges are dangerous. And unfortunately, they can disappear for a while, and then come back into vogue suddenly, ready to tempt a new batch of children.

These are some of the most dangerous challenges that can cause injury and even death:

The Skullbreaker Challenge – Skull Fractures, Concussions, Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

There’s very little mystery to why this challenge is so dangerous. It has three people standing beside each other with the instructions to jump in the air. The people on the outside jump first, but they are in on the joke. When the middle person jumps alone, the other two kick their legs out from under them, sending them falling to the floor. They can land on their backs or on their heads.

The consequences: Victims have been injured by this challenge, and several perpetrators have faced criminal charges. In 2022, 11Alive-TV in Atlanta reported on two girls who pulled the prank on a 15-year-old special needs boy. The boy hit a brick wall and came away with a concussion and blurred eyesight. The teenage girls were hit with charges of aggravated battery and disorderly conduct.

The Blackout Challenge – Brain Damage, Fall Injuries

Another TikTok challenge where the risk should be clear to anyone considering a try. The goal is to deprive the brain of oxygen. Sadly, children don’t always have the good judgment to avoid such obvious dangers. Some adults don’t have the proper judgment either.  The Blackout Challenge, also known as the scarf challenge, has participants choking themselves, sometimes with an article of clothing, until they pass out. The goal is to film the victim’s reaction as they regain consciousness and experience a kind of euphoria. Then hit “post.”

The consequences: People Magazine reports that by 2022, at least 20 people had lost their lives while attempting the Scarf Challenge. That figure tragically rose in 2025. A 12-year-old boy in England died on June 27 while attempting this challenge.  It was also the year the parents of four British teenagers filed a lawsuit against TikTok, claiming their children died while performing the Blackout Challenge.

The Benadryl Challenge – Brain Damage, Heart Damage, Nervous System Damage

The Benadryl Challenge involves going way over the recommended dosage for a high. Some participants take a dozen or more pills to enjoy some sort of altered state. The social media dare arose around 2020 and has tempted TikTok users ever since.

The consequences: The FDA weighed in on this frightening practice. They point to cases leading to seizures, heart failure, and comas. In January of 2026, a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl in Bowling Green, Ohio, were hospitalized. They each ingested around two dozen pills each. That’s according to WTVG-TV. The overdoses have also claimed several young lives. Also in Ohio, a 13-year-old boy who took up to 14 pills died in 2023.

The Fireball Challenge and Fire Challenge – First, Second, Third, and Fourth Degree Burns. Eye Damage, Skin Damage, Lung Damage

The danger can be found in the name. TikTok users attempt to start a fire and react to the sudden explosion of flames. Some participants use rubbing alcohol. Others utilize aerosol cans they find around the house. In a related challenge detailed by FOX32 Chicago, teens are covering their hands with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol and setting their fingers ablaze. It’s known simply as the Fire Challenge.

The consequences – A 13-year-old girl near Chicago suffered injury when the flames spread to her face during a Fire Challenge attempt. The fire managed to find the nearby bottle of alcohol and caused an explosion. The victim suffered hand injuries and second-degree burns across half of her face. The Fireball Challenge left one boy with second and third-degree burns over half his body in 2023. The incident in Arizona caused flames so intense that the boy’s pajamas melted to his body, according to Yahoo!News.

The Outlet Challenge – Electrocution, Burns, Eye Damage

More fire dangers created by this one. The recipe for danger is pretty straightforward. A cellphone cord plug is pushed into the wall, but left partially sticking out. Then a penny is dropped down between the prongs. An electrical spark is emitted, and in some cases gone wrong, a major fire starts. People too close to the shower of sparks can also receive devastating shocks. The fact that the penny can partially melt should illuminate how dangerous this prank is for anyone participating.

The consequences – This challenge has gotten so concerning that the town of Weston, Massachusetts, has issued a statement. The state has seen a few instances of schools being set on fire due to the frightening electrical stunt. NBC10 Boston reported that two teen boys in Weston faced criminal charges of burning a building, property destruction, and disorderly conduct. In other cases, entire schools have had to be evacuated. There’s the danger to the people trying the challenge, but the bigger fear is when fires start, and entire households or building occupants are put at deadly risk.

How California Parents Can Protect Their Children from Hazardous Social Media Challenges

Adults can certainly be foolish enough to try these stunts. But the biggest danger is to children who may not be able to resist the lure of a dangerous viral challenge.

Parents should take steps to make sure their children understand the dangers of following these trends. Experts say there are steps to take that can hopefully guide your young ones to better decisions.

Monitor the sites your child visits. Use parental controls and lock-outs to keep children off sites that may present dangers (like TikTok, for instance). Limit screen time to moments when you are nearby. You should also report harmful content to the social media site as soon as possible.