A sharp uptick in Kia and Hyundai vehicle thefts has been linked to viral videos, posted to TikTok and other social media platforms, teaching people how to start cars with USB cables and exploit a security vulnerability in certain models sold in the U.S.
This photo provided by Zenith Auto Care shows damaged car parts that need to be replaced after the car was stolen, on April 20, 2023, in North Las Vegas. A sharp uptick in thefts of Hyundais and Kias over the paast two years has been linked to viral videos posted to TikTok and other social media platforms that teach people how to exploit a security vulnerability to steal the cars.
But unlike some social media-driven trends that seemingly disappear just as police get a handle on them, the car thefts have continued. Hyundai has tried to work with TikTok and other platforms to remove the videos, but as new ones surface fresh waves of thefts occur, illustrating the lingering effects of dangerous content that gains traction with teens looking for ways to go viral.
Morgan Kornfeind was driving to a yoga class in Portland, Oregon, at the end of March when a man in a stolen Kia barreled into her as he drove the wrong way while fleeing police. The 25-year-old suffered lacerations, broken bones and extensive injuries to her leg. She needed surgery and attends multiple medical appointments every week.
“And the amazing thing is it’s not slowing down,” said Randy Shrewsberry, MLG chief strategy officer. In a statement, a TikTok spokesperson pushed back on assertions that many of the dangerous challenges mentioned in news reports had reached mass popularity on the platform. TikTok's enforcement report from the last three months of 2022 showed 5% of the videos the company removed were due to dangerous acts and challenges, with 82% removed within 24 hours.
While the Kia Challenge is the social media crime trend of the moment, it's not the first. And, experts say, it's not indicative of social media creating a paradigm shift in criminal activity.
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