TikTok Attempts to Delete Widely Shared Suicide Clip

Video-sharing site TikTok is struggling to remove clips that show a man committing suicide.

The footage, which has been circulating on the platform for several days, originated from Facebook and has also been shared on Twitter and Instagram.

TikTok is very popular with young people, and many have reported that they came across the video and were traumatized by the content.

The app said it would ban accounts that repeatedly upload clips.

“Our systems have been automatically detecting and flagging these clips for violating our policies against content that displays, praises, glorifies or promotes suicide,” said a representative.

“We appreciate the members of our community who have reported on content and have warned others not to view, participate in or share such videos on any platform, out of respect for the person and their family.”

Facebook told BBC News: “We removed the original video from Facebook last month, the day it aired, and have used automation technology to remove copies and uploads since then.

“Our thoughts remain with Ronnie’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

On Tuesday, Brenda’s 14-year-old daughter ran downstairs. She covered her mouth, cried, and said she was going to get sick.

“She was in that state, shaking like a leaf and sobbing properly,” Brenda, who lives near Edinburgh, told the BBC.

“I’ve never seen her so distraught. It was horrible and it took me years to get the words out of her.”

Brenda explained that her daughter had seen the suicide video after it appeared in recommended clips on the For You section of TikTok.

“I was flipping through funny songs and videos when a bearded man in a white shirt appears behind a desk,” the mother recalled, saying shortly after they saw him commit suicide.

“I’ve heard of trolling and nasty stuff, but this is for the best. I called the police, but they reminded me that it’s not their job to police the internet.

“My daughter was in shock, she’s still in shock and this could stay with her for months.”

Since the incident, she added, her daughter had slept with the light on and kept reliving the images she had seen. She added that her daughter was afraid to leave the house and, as a result, missed a day of school.

Some users are reported to be sharing the video, disguised behind pictures of kittens or other content. Others have created their own videos warning about the content and urging people to remove it.

TikTok algorithms often recommend content from people not directly followed by a user.

Several people have broadcast their suicides on Facebook Live since its launch in 2015.

Facebook, which owns Instagram, has also faced criticism that the platform shares tabloid content of self-harm and suicide.

After Molly Russell’s death in 2017, her father said that Instagram had “helped kill his daughter.”