In this current social media generation, instant internet fame can happen to anyone. On platforms like TikTok and Kick, streamers and influencers are willing to do whatever it takes to earn a following and the money that comes with it. For some influencers, this can mean taking risks that inevitably break the law, disrupt public peace or even injure innocent bystanders, all for the sake of a video. As the number of reports concerning social media influencers committing unlawful acts soars, attention should turn to how the obsession with online fame comes from a culture facing the destruction of values.
In New York City, pranks in the MTA subway system have caused thousands of dollars in damages and injuries to several passengers. Earlier this month, a prank to pull the emergency brake resulted in the derailment of a subway car, which collided with another train and injured dozens of people. Emergency brake vandalism has increased over the past five years, with 1,748 unjustified cases in 2023 alone. As a result, there were 7,365 delays, and in some instances, service could not be restored until more than 60 hours later. Anyone can pull the emergency brake on the subway, but its use is intended for valid reasons, such as if someone is caught in the door or collapses while the train is in motion. Transit authorities debate how accessible the emergency brake should be to passengers, but such discussion would not have been needed in the first place had it not been for unnecessary usage.
Our society regards every action as “right” or “wrong,” but when we have an ulterior motive, like filming a prank video, we disregard those morals and do as we wish. Consequences to those involuntarily involved do not matter as long as the prankster directly benefits from the content. This type of thinking is plaguing top streamers and influencers. Even if the MTA were to put ads in subways stating that unnecessarily pulling the emergency brake is a crime with fines up to $100, it would never entirely deter an influencer’s desire to chase becoming a huge overnight success. Influencers will always want more followers, views and easy money. Many of these influencers are willing to do anything in order to achieve those things. When put into perspective, this can come across as a sad reality after learning of the consequences some influencers have faced at the price of one-second fame. When this fame comes at the expense of injured bystanders, more concern should be centered on the ridiculousness of an easily preventable situation. Audiences and streamers no longer attach “right” or “wrong” to actions, only whether they will personally benefit from taking the risk.
On one platform, the most popular streamers are the ones who commit these ridiculous acts for fame. IRL vloggers on Kick, a significant competitor of Twitch, are no strangers to inciting chaos in public. One notable example is 24-year-old controversial streamer Johnny Somali, whose legal name is Ismael Ramsey Khalid. He started chaos for the camera’s sake in Osaka, Japan, where he played loud music and made racist remarks in a restaurant. He was live streaming this interaction on Kick. Khalid was then arrested and appeared in court. He was charged with disrupting the restaurant business for the sake of attention and was required to pay a fine of $1,400. He issued an apology video, but this was his second time being arrested in Japan, as his first was for breaking into a construction site. A value Japan holds is being quiet and calm, so Khalid’s actions were not only unlawful but disrespectful to Japanese culture. Nevertheless, Khalid did not act based on morals and only took responsibility when he had to. Setting an example of a lack of accountability and moral judgment hinders the progress and development of the audience as well.
In a separate incident, a 19-year-old TikToker walking on a trail in Texas “pranked” two men by punching one in the back of the head and the other by tackling him by the waist, all on video. The 19-year-old came forward regarding the video, saying that he did not mean to harm anyone and that it was only entertainment. Without a doubt, platforms such as TikTok and Kick encourage disruptive and chaotic behavior by pushing influencers such as the TikToker from Texas and Khalid. These apps reward illegal behavior with large followings and paychecks by gearing their algorithms to favor prank content. Influencers with large followings encourage disrespectful and sometimes dangerous behavior with their audiences, some of whom are very young. Audiences learn of the payback influencers make off their videos, already in awe of the lengths influencers will go to record an entertaining, sure-to-succeed video. Influencers on live streams, such as on Kick, feel the audience’s pressure to pull an unheard of stunt, which viewers will want to stay on live and see for themselves.
Social media companies should have influencers take accountability for the illegal behavior they advertise by removing their accounts, or by making the app’s content policies stricter. These moves would make influencers recognize the criminal consequences of their actions and the consequences of losing their platform. The widespread desire for social media fame has eroded morality among audiences, risking encouraging youth to seek self-promotion instead of making truly ethical decisions.
Abby Smith, FCRH ’27, is an English major from Verona, N.J.