Photo by Andriyko Podilnyk on Unsplash
THE SHORT-video sharing platform has warned users that it will ban 'milk crate' challenge videos from its platform after a reported increase of injuries sustained by people participating in the viral trend.
The challenge - which consists of walking up and down an unsecured pyramid made out of milk crates, often resulting in an awkward and calamitous fall - became popular on social media platforms earlier in August.
In a statement to Dailymail.com on Wednesday, a TikTok representative said the app 'prohibits content that promotes or glorifies dangerous acts, and we remove videos and redirect searches to our Community Guidelines to discourage such content.'
'We encourage everyone to exercise caution in their behaviour whether online or off,' the spokesperson added, while also confirming that tags will also be removed.
As the COVID delta variant continues to spread across the US leaving some hospitals overwhelmed, the 'milk crate' challenge has prompted health officials to issue warnings, asking people to think twice before attempting the trick.
Milk Crate Challenge Gender Reveal pic.twitter.com/8Q4keD7Bwk
— Podfathers Podcast (@PodfathersShow) August 26, 2021
Comedian Conan O'Brien joked online saying he was waiting for the FDA to approve the trend before trying it out.
Instead, the agency tweeted: 'Although we regulate milk, we can't recommend you try that. Perhaps enjoy a nice glass of 2% and return all those crates to the grocery store?'
Some other celebrities and media personalities also have questioned the latest viral challenge.
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith joked Monday that the videos imposed a greater risk of public health than the coronavirus.
'I challenge anybody — anybody on Earth — to find people dumber than these people,' exclaimed Smith, who was a guest host on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
'What is wrong with these people? First, you drink the milk from the crates to get strong bones — then you fall off the crates to break them?!'
Rapper Snoop Dogg also voiced his concern over the popular videos of the challenge, showing black people falling from the crates and injuring themselves.
'Why we love to see each other fall?' he wrote on Instagram with a face-palm emoji. 'We got 2 to do better.'
According to WSB-TV, an Atlanta-based health official saw on Sunday at least two individuals break or fracture bones after falling of the crates.
On Twitter, an orthopedic surgeon in Fairfax, Virginia, shared an example of the challenge going wrong, saying that 'surgeries required to fix problems caused by this may fall under the umbrella of "elective surgeries."'
A few videos have highlighted people who were able to conquer the milk crate challenge without falling over.
How people picture themselves doin’ the milk crate challenge. 👀#MilkCrateChallengepic.twitter.com/4UB0Fk4KuB
— GSG the Original (@GSGtheOriginal) August 27, 2021
One woman successfully climbed a pyramid while wearing heels.
According to the Know Your Meme website the challenge drew inspiration from a June 2011 video titled 'Guy Falls Off 6 Milk Crates.'
On August 1, videos shared on Facebook by a Chicago resident showed two men trying to walk over the pyramid of milk crates. It is considered the first video of the now popular milk crate challenge.
Two weeks later, the challenge gained traction when another video of people failing the challenge was posted to TikTok, where it received more than 5 million views in one day.
Since then, the milk crate challenge has been filmed as well as attempted in countless of communities around the US.
Videos shared to social media and viewed by millions have helped the challenge trend over the past week across multiple platforms, which is predicted to last until the end of this summer, if not longer.