Fears as ‘extremely dangerous’ TikTok challenge goes viral

Health experts have spoken out about the ramifications if a potentially fatal TikTok trend takes off in Australia.

Health experts fear a potentially fatal TikTok trend where people attempt to down 3.7l of alcohol in the latest binge drinking “challenge” will take off in Australia.

The BORG hashtag, short for blackout rage gallon, has gone viral on the mega popular social media application and has swept across the United States.

Nearly 50 college students at the University of Massachusetts where recently hospitalised from the alarming drinking challenge.

The BORG hashtag, short for blackout rage gallon, has gone viral on the mega popular social media application and has swept across the United States.

Borgs are large plastic jugs containing a combination of hard liquor, mixers, water and sweeteners, and include electrolyte tablets to “avoid a hangover”.

The hashtag #borg has had more than 70.4 million views on TikTok sparking major concerns that Australians will adopt the challenge.

As part of the challenge, students are encouraged to source pop culture to name their gallon to gain notoriety on social media. Puns including Borgan Freeman, Rick and Borgy, Jason Borg and Heisenborg are just a few examples.

Brisbane’s Metro North Health’s Dr Jeremy Hayllar said it would be a “huge” concern if the borg trend spread to Australian shores.

Dr Hayllar, the hospital’s clinical director of its alcohol and drug service, said 3.7l of alcohol was a “massive” and “extremely dangerous” dose that could likely lead to collapse, overdose and death.

“Particularly for an alcohol-naive person, that quantity is extremely dangerous, particularly in one sitting,” Dr Hayllar said.

“This one seems to be very high risk and extremely heavy drinking, especially for one session.”

Dr Hayllar stressed that the guidelines for “low risk” drinking were for a two standard drinks per day and a maximum of 10 in a week.

A person attempts the #BORG challenge.

A 3.7l borg half filled with spirits could equate to about two bottles of vodka, rum or tequila, when measured with the standard 30ml shot.

“We see the complications of alcohol, violence, self-harm, domestic violence, drink driving, and also the long-term changes from liver disease,” Dr Hayllar said.

“It’s worrying that people are watching this on TikTok. I’m not trying to spoil the fun but people need to recognise the major risks.”

Dr Hayllar said the late Amy Winehouse was a “tragic” example of alcohol poisoning after her 2011 death.

Griffith University social media expert David Tuffley said American audiences tended to have a greater hunger for novelty than Australian audiences.

However, Dr Tuffley said Australia did tend to follow the United States in trends, just on a smaller scale given the population difference.

“We do often follow the US but not with the same critical mass,” Dr Tuffley said.

Dr Tuffley said trends tended to be short lived but posed a problem when they were harmful to the public.

He said the TikTok algorithms were extremely good at intuitively guessing which audience would be receptive to its content.

“Some would say it’s too clever, too addictive,” he said.

Nearly 11,000 people presented themselves into emergency departments for alcohol-related from July 2022, to February 2023, according to Queensland Health data.

Health experts fear the trend will take off in Australia.

Alcohol-related presentations indicate the principal diagnosis was either alcohol intoxication, withdrawal syndrome, hallucinosis or gastritis.

The total presentation number are consistent with previous years and are not linked to the borg trend.

However, a Queensland Health spokeswoman said trends that encouraged risky behaviour and binge drinking were dangerous.

The spokeswoman said while social media had the power to bring the world closer together it could be used to promote risky behaviour, particularly to younger, wider-reaching audiences.

“We encourage people not to partake in these online trends. Your health and wellbeing is too important to be thrown away for likes and followers,” the spokeswoman said.

“The potential short and long term consequences of alcohol can be serious and may include injury, chronic health problems, social problems and violence.”

TikTok’s country policy manager for trust and safety Jed Horner said the content was not trending in Australia.

“To date, we are not aware of any significant local content. In addition, we do not allow content that suggests, depicts or promotes the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by a minor,” Mr Horner said.

“We are deeply committed to providing a safe and positive space for the TikTok community.”