Venezuela’s Supreme Court has levied a $10 million fine against TikTok, accusing the social media giant of failing to prevent the spread of viral challenges that allegedly led to the deaths of three children. The decision was announced on December 30, 2024, by Tania D’Amelio, President of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.

According to D’Amelio, TikTok has eight days to pay the fine to the National Communications Commission (Conatel). The funds will be used to establish a special compensation fund for victims of these challenges. The court also ordered TikTok to open a local office in Venezuela to better address content concerns.

The ruling did not specify the penalties TikTok might face if it fails to comply. CNN reached out to TikTok for comment but has not yet received a response.

The court highlighted that three young individuals died after participating in dangerous viral challenges, though it did not provide specific details. In November, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro cited two incidents where children reportedly died from challenges involving the inhalation of toxic substances or the misuse of anxiety medications.

D’Amelio emphasized that TikTok failed to implement measures to curb the spread of harmful content, violating Venezuelan laws. The court’s decision followed an appeal filed by the Bolivarian Movement of Aristóbulo Istúriz Families, an education-focused organization, which argued that such challenges posed psychological risks to minors.

This move is the latest in Venezuela’s ongoing crackdown on social media platforms. In November, President Maduro demanded the removal of viral challenge content from TikTok. Earlier in the year, Conatel suspended access to X (formerly Twitter) for ten days following owner Elon Musk’s comments questioning the results of Venezuela’s presidential election. Despite these restrictions, many Venezuelans continue to access restricted platforms using VPNs.

The fine and additional demands signal an effort by Venezuela’s government to hold social media platforms accountable for content that endangers public safety, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children.