An 11-year-old boy from the United Kingdom tragically passed away after participating in a dangerous social media challenge known as “chroming,” prompting his grieving family to call for stricter regulations on social media platforms.

Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington, 11, suffered a suspected cardiac arrest during a sleepover at a friend’s house in Lancaster, as reported by the Times of London. Despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to the effects of inhaling toxic chemicals.

His grandmother, Tina Burns, expressed the family’s devastation, stating, “He died instantly after a sleepover at a friend’s house. The boys had tried the TikTok craze ‘chroming.’” She described Tommie-Lee as having “a heart of gold,” echoing the sentiments of his father.

Chroming involves inhaling fumes from common household items like aerosol cans and cleaning products to achieve a high, with participants often filming and sharing their experiences online. However, the practice can have severe consequences, including brain damage, suffocation, and cardiac arrest. Despite its dangers, chroming videos have proliferated on social media platforms, contributing to its popularity among teenagers.

Tommie-Lee’s family believes that social media companies, particularly TikTok, bear responsibility for allowing such harmful content to circulate freely. They advocate for stricter measures, including shutting down TikTok and prohibiting children under 16 from accessing any social media platforms.

“We want to get TikTok taken down and no children to be allowed on any social media under 16 years of age,” Burns stated, emphasizing the family’s determination to prevent further tragedies.

TikTok, along with other social media giants, has faced criticism for its handling of dangerous trends and content. In a January hearing, leaders of major platforms, including Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Instagram, and Shou Chew of TikTok, faced scrutiny from the US Senate Judiciary Committee regarding platform safety. The hearing aimed to address concerns raised by the proposed “Kids Online Safety Act,” which seeks to hold social media companies accountable for protecting users, particularly minors, from harmful content and predatory behavior.

RIP.