TikTok algorithm made 16-year-old kill self in US? Court documents reveal shocking details

A new development have emerged in the 2022 suicide case of a 16-year-old boy from Long Island who tragically took his life by stepping in front of a train. According to court papers, TikTok used location tracking to send "railroad-themed suicide videos" to the teen, who lived near a commuter train track, as reported by several media outlets.

The lawsuit against TikTok was filed by Nasca's parents in March 2023. In December 2024, the company sought to have the case dismissed, claiming that the videos involved were protected as "free speech" under the First Amendment.

Coming back to the latest update in the case, the court documents also revealed, "Some of the videos directed to Chase, who lived a quarter mile from the LIRR tracks, encouraged young people to end their lives by stepping in front of a moving train,” as quoted by New York Post."

What was Chase Nasca's last post?

On February 18, Nasca, a high school student had sent a final Snapchat message to a friend that read, "I can't do it anymore," while heading home from the gym. After sending the message, he walked onto the railroad tracks in Islip where he was struck and killed by an MTA train.

US TikTok ban

The popular short video app used by nearly half of all Americans went dark briefly last month, before a law took effect on January 19 that requires its Chinese owner ByteDance either to sell it on national security grounds or face a ban. The following day, Trump signed an executive order seeking to delay the enforcement of the ban by 75 days, allowing TikTok to continue its operations in the U.S. temporarily.

On Febuary 13, Trump said his 75-day deadline on TikTok could be extended. The turmoil at TikTok attracted several potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who have expressed interest in the fast-growing business that analysts estimate could be worth as much as $50 billion. Trump has said that he was in talks with multiple people over TikTok's purchase.