Let’s be honest: TikTok, for all its pros, has led to some astonishingly dumb behavior not only being allowed, but encouraged. While many of these challenges and trends were only dangerous for those involved in doing them, some really impacted on strangers, especially those considered “pranks,” which in this day and age seems to mean being obnoxious and causing harm to others. And, now, it seems a TikToker in the U.K. is finally facing consequences for his hurtful and panic-inducing actions.
The account @secretmizzy has been gaining notoriety across the world for being involed in a number of potentially harmful and dangerous pranks, that could have very much ended in him being hurt badly, had he tried to play them on the wrong people. The young Londoner has done everything from jumping into random people’s cars to literally stealing a dog, behavior which should have earned him a visit from the police long before now. And that’s not even mentioning that some of his videos have distinctly antisemitic and misogynistic undertones. However, it’s his most recent clip, where he entered a house in the East London borough of Hackney, which has finally landed him in some much earned trouble.
On Monday evening, the MET confirmed that they’d arrested an 18 year old on suspicion of “causing a public nuisance.” Although there are no set sentencing guidelines for this crime, and it is unconfirmed whether or not the case will even make it to court, there is a chance that the TikToker could face up to a year in jail for his dangerous actions.
Police said they made the arrest following an investigation into a number of incidents, all caught on tape. So, as it turns out, recording and publishing your crimes isn’t the smartest move. But, then again, the sort of person who would do the things the account owner has probably isn’t the brightest in the first place. The Met confirmed the incidents included “apparently unsolicited approaches made towards members of the public in the street or on transport, and entering addresses without the apparent permission of the owners.”
The most recent video, and the one that likely made the police take real action, showed the owner of the account entering a house through an open door while somebody cleaned the front garden. He then sits down on a sofa before a male resident of the home asks him to leave, which he does.
The MET Superintendent James Conway said of the incidents:
“I do not underestimate the widespread upset, distress and concern that these videos caused. Some people have referred to these as ‘prank’ videos, but I hope that this significant development demonstrates just how seriously we have been taking this investigation since this footage began circulating online. A number of these videos were produced, impacting on many different people and our investigation remains ongoing as we seek to build a strong picture of both the activity featured in the footage and impact on the public.”
While @secretmizzy seems to be the main lightning rod for criticisms of this trend, there are plenty of others who have jumped aboard, as there always is with silly and dangerous challenges spread by the internet. And, although his account is now banned from TikTok (and his videos wiped from the platform), his YouTube subscriber base jumped massively before the video company finally closed his account.
The account owner, however, hasn’t gone down without a fight. He told the British tabloid the Daily Star that: “It is unfortunate that there were minors present in the house, however, none of them were harmed or negatively affected. If I had known there were children in the house I would of never went in at all.”
He then added: “I do what I’ve been doing and I know the repercussions of the things I do. Perhaps it was a bit far, however I don’t encourage anyone to repeat my actions.”
Plenty of Americans were quick to point out that in many parts of the States, these so-called pranks would have probably led to a shooting.
While it’s embarrassing and distressing for those affected by the videos, it’s probably a good thing that a teenager doing something stupid for attention doesn’t end in a murder by gunshot, as much as tough guys on the internet wish it would. And, now that the police are involved, hopefully TikTokers looking to continue the trend will understand that views aren’t worth hurting your future for.