Teen took life after receiving 1000 unsolicited videos: ‘I can’t do it anymore’

The parents of a 16-year-old who took their own life claim their son was “targeted, overwhelmed and actively goaded” by TikTok videos.

Chase Nasca killed himself at age 16 after watching “psychologically disturbing” TikTok videos.

The grieving parents of an American teenager who took his own life after watching hours of “psychologically disturbing” TikTok videos broke down during a hearing on Capitol Hill on Friday.

Dean and Michelle Nasca, whose 16-year-old son, Chase, took his own life last year after receiving more than 1000 unsolicited videos of violence and suicide, openly sobbed as US politician Gus Bilirakis recounted their son’s tragic death.

“Your company destroyed their lives,” Bilirakis told TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew about the teenager’s parents.

“His ‘For You’ page was sadly a window to discover suicide. It’s unacceptable, sir!”

Chase Nasca was ‘targeted’ and ‘goaded’ into taking his own life, his family says.

Nasca died after messaging a friend ‘I can’t do it anymore’.

The Nascas filed a lawsuit against the Chinese-owned social media giant in Suffolk County Supreme Court on Tuesday, claiming their son was “targeted, overwhelmed and actively goaded” into taking his own life.

“The TikTok defendants know that violent, dangerous, extreme and psychologically disturbing content triggers a greater dopamine response in minors than safe and benign content,” the 91-page complaint said.

Videos with suicidal messaging that children are exposed to on TikTok.

“To maximise user engagement and increase profits, TikTok creates and co-creates such content and deliberately targets children in the United States with violent, dangerous, extreme and psychologically disturbing content from which they can’t look away.”

The lawsuit claims that Chase didn’t seek out violent content, but was allegedly targeted by TikTok and flooded with depressing and suicide-themed clips “several hours every day”.

On February 18, 2022, the teen was heading home from the gym when he stopped and messaged a friend on Snapchat, “I can’t do it anymore”.

Dean and Michelle Nasca, who filed a lawsuit against Tik Tok and Bytedance Inc. for the death of there son Chase Nasca, 16 stand as politicians speak to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. Picture: Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Dean Nasca broke down during the session. Picture: by Jim WATSON / AFP

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on ‘TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms’. Picture: OLIVIER DOULIERY / AFP

The lawsuit names TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance Ltd. and TikTok Inc.

The congressional hearings come as some politicians are pushing for a TikTok ban in the US over potential national security threats and alleged ties to the Chinese government — and content harmful to youngsters like Chase Nasca.

“With your two children, would you want them to see this?” Bilirakis chided Chew. “I want you to warn everyone watching ‘You may find this content disturbing’.”

This article was originally published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission