South American viral youth disappearance challenge

A viral social media trend, referred to as the ‘48-hour challenge’ or the ‘disappear for 48 hours’ challenge, has prompted warnings from authorities in Venezuela and Paraguay. The trend involves children and adolescents leaving their homes and severing all communication with family members for two days.

In Venezuela, the investigative police body Cicpc reported that participants engage in the behavior to gain social media attention and trigger alarm among families and security agencies. Authorities warned that the practice exposes minors to risks such as accidents, crime, or becoming lost, stating that ‘a like is not worth more than their integrity’.

In Paraguay, the Ministry of Childhood and Adolescence and the National Police issued an urgent alert regarding the TikTok-based trend. Officials noted that participants reportedly aim to earn digital points by successfully triggering media coverage and emergency alerts. Following reports of the challenge in Argentina, Paraguayan Minister Walter Gutiérrez emphasized the high risks to minors and urged parents to maintain open dialogue with their children as a preventive measure.