The Rise of Performance Crimes in the US Due to TikTok and Social Media Trends

Viral videos on TikTok and other social media platforms teaching people how to start cars with USB cables and exploit a security vulnerability in some models sold in the US without engine immobilizers have led to a sharp uptick in car thefts, with Hyundai and Kia owners being hit particularly hard. Police departments in a dozen cities have said that performance crime factors into an increase they’ve seen in juveniles arrested or charged with car thefts. Attorneys general from 17 states have called on federal regulators to issue a mandatory recall, arguing the voluntary software fixes issued by the companies aren’t enough.