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CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS DEMAND TIKTOK TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS RISE IN AUTOMOBILE THEFTS STEMMING FROM VIRAL VIDEOS

March 21, 2023

Spread of videos has led to massive spike in automobile thefts in Rochester and across the country

Letter calls on TikTok to help keep communities safe by removing dangerous videos

(Rochester, N.Y.) — Today, Congressman Joe Morelle, Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter, and Rochester Police Department Chief David Smith called on TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to address the recent rise in violence and automobile thefts promoted by viral videos on their platform. These videos have led to more than 775 auto thefts in Rochester so far this year, placing an undue strain on local law enforcement and endangering local families, businesses, and neighborhoods. Congressman Morelle, Sheriff Baxter, and Chief Smith were joined by Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello to denounce TikTok’s negligent behavior.

“Law enforcement is already in desperate need of resources to combat an epidemic of gun violence in our communities, and the spread of this dangerous content on your platform has exacerbated the problem,” write Congressman Morelle, Sheriff Baxter, and Chief Smith in a letter to TikTok CEO Chew. “When these thefts occur, law enforcement resources are not only diverted to address the thefts themselves, but perpetrators of these crimes often use the stolen vehicles to commit additional crimes as well. Members of our community have previously written you to express concern over TikTok challenges that encourage violence in our schools, and TikTok’s inability to properly police its own platform in this case has yet again left our community vulnerable.”

“Our nation, and in particular our community of Rochester, NY, is experiencing vehicle thefts at a rate we have not seen before,” said Monroe County Sheriff Todd K. Baxter. “While law enforcement undertakes the dangerous task of apprehending people responsible for these crimes, we cannot accept the fact that instructional videos on how to commit these crimes are being driven to individuals via social media. Stealing vehicles, a serious crime in itself, often leads to more, violent crime. We urge you to act responsibly, do the right thing, and prohibit these types of crime-encouraging videos on your site, as you say you do in the Community Guidelines posted on your platform. We must all do our part – we owe it to crime victims and law abiding citizens everywhere.”

“The Rochester Police Department has been working cooperatively and collaboratively with the leaders of our community and the auto-manufacturers,” said City of Rochester Police Chief David M. Smith. “It’s time for TikTok and other media platforms to do their part to bring an end to this rash of stolen vehicles that are bringing havoc to our streets.”

“It is wholly irresponsible for TikTok to allow videos promoting criminal activity to remain on their platform,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “It is long past time for the company to enforce its own guidelines and stop promoting reckless content that glorifies crime and violence and gives kids step-by-step instructions on how to steal cars. Social media companies have a moral obligation to stomp out videos that encourage criminal behavior, period. I applaud Congressman Morelle for his leadership on this issue and for standing up to demand TikTok take responsibility for the harm it is causing in our community.”

“Social media companies like TikTok have a responsibility to ensure that their content does not negatively impact public safety,” said Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans. “Allowing content that encourages car thefts is not responsible. Companies must accept responsibility for the influence they have on our youth. I thank the Congressman for demanding TikTok do its part and remove these detrimental videos.”

TikTok’s existing Community Guidelines prohibit the posting of certain content by its users and promise that TikTok will remove content in violation of the stated norms and common code of conduct. The Guidelines prohibit the posting of content consisting of “the promotion or facilitation of criminal activities,” and more specifically, “content that provides instructions on how to conduct criminal activities that result in harm to people, animals, or property.” However, the current level of enforcement of these Guidelines is insufficient and renders these promises meaningless.

“TikTok has a moral responsibility to make a good faith effort to moderate dangerous content more effectively,” continued Morelle. “We are disappointed TikTok has yet to join us in these efforts.”

This letter builds on previous action taken by Congressman Morelle to curb the spread of violence on Tik Tok and other social media platforms and address the alarming rise in automobile thefts in Rochester and across the country.

The full text of the letter can be found below.