Borrowing Techniques and Shoplifting Bragging on TikTok: The Dark Side of Social Media Exploring Shoplifting Techniques

2023-09-04 09:28:41

Social network TikTok is said to be in hot water once once more, as it is used as a platform by young shoplifters to brag regarding their shoplifting and teach their techniques to avoid getting caught.

“Massive borrowing [en magasin]. Total: $222,” reads a video posted to the platform in April, in which the alleged thief shows off numerous pieces of clothing and beauty products she allegedly took from a store.

On TikTok, young bandits would use the term “borrowing” (“borrowing” in French) to replace “stealing”, in order to be able to freely brag regarding their shoplifting and share certain techniques with other Internet users without the videos not showing. be withdrawn, “The Sun” reported on Sunday.

“How did you manage to take the clothes?” can we read in a comment under the same video, to which a second Internet user would have suggested hiding the products in his bra or in his pants.

Other videos would rather present the stores to target and those to avoid, according to the British media.

While the use of the word ‘borrowing’ isn’t new – some videos providing tips for successful theft dating as far back as 2020 on TikTok – the trend has reportedly come back strong in recent months, while a video viral even suggested a group shoplifting last month on a popular shopping street in London, UK.

“It is very difficult to moderate the large number of publications uploaded to these platforms. It’s a constant hitting game. If the term ‘borrow’ is removed, something else will take its place,” British tech expert Will Guyatt told The Sun.

In his opinion, social networks should however set up an “easier way for the police to interact with social networks”, he estimated.

Contacted by the British media, TikTok simply removed the few pointed videos, indicating that it would “not allow content that promotes criminal activity”.

Shoplifting is said to cost UK merchants the equivalent of more than £950m, or the equivalent of more than $1.6bn, according to ‘The Sun’.

1693825280
#Shoplifting #young #bandits #TikTok #teach #techniques

Leave a Replay