Young people’s risky behaviour fuelled by social media glory, police warn

Police warn videos of illegal activity posted online could be encouraging young Territorians to act up, as the government commits to new laws cracking down on ‘posting and boasting’ on social media.

Northern Territory Police say videos of illegal activity posted online could be encouraging young Territorians to act up, as the government commits to new laws cracking down on ‘posting and boasting’ on social media.

After three separate incidents of young people involved with stolen cars at the weekend in Alice Springs, several videos of the incidents were posted by bystanders calling out the behaviour on Facebook pages such as Action for Alice.

NT Police Assistant Commissioner Janelle Tonkin said she understood the community wanting to express its frustration, but warned sharing the videos could unintentionally fuel more criminal activity.

NT Police Assistant Commissioner Janelle Tonkin said videos posted to social media could fuel young Territorians risky behaviour. Picture: Fia Walsh.

“We are aware from the conversations that we have with young people that engage in these behaviours that they do see themselves on those pages, and no doubt that does fuel their behaviour,” she said.

“While you might be recording information for police, do not live stream, do not broadcast these incidents on social media, as that only seeks to fuel the risk-taking behaviours by these young people.

“I absolutely appreciate that the administrators of those (Facebook) pages are looking to express the really frustrated voice of Alice Springs residents who are constantly put in danger.

“I appreciate that they have a free right to be able to communicate on behalf of the community and provide an opportunity for community to express their feelings.

“But it does need to be tempered with what it is that’s driving these young people to engage in incredibly risky behaviours.”

Action for Alice admin Darren Clark. Picture: Supplied

Action for Alice administrator Darren Clark said he was “very conscious of both sides” when posting to his 113,000 followers.

“The page is simply an awareness page – don’t shoot the messenger,” he said.

“If we didn’t show this, people wouldn’t know the extent of what’s going on.

“At the end of the day these kids have their own Tik Toks and Instagrams where they’ve got thousands of followers – they don’t need my page.”

Mr Clark said he had reunited countless people with stolen cars, motorbikes and bicycles by sharing photos of them on Action for Alice.

“Just today I had an Indigenous kid contact me and tell me where a car is,” he said.

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said post and boast laws would crack down on the glorification of crime. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said her government’s promised new post and boast laws would not target bystander social media posts.

“It’s at the glorification of crime that the CLP draws the line,” she said.

“By committing a crime and being a hero about it, by posting on social media, you’re glorifying the fact that you’ve done the wrong thing, and that will be dealt with through law reform.

“In the first week of parliament, we have an enormous legislative agenda ready to go to make sure we’re supporting our police with the powers they need to do their job, to make sure that our laws meet community expectation, and that there are consequences for people who do the wrong thing.”

Post and boast laws have already been introduced in Queensland and New South Wales.

Details of exactly what the CLP proposes remain unclear, but laws proposed by the federal coalition would see an offender jailed for up to two years for depicting violence, drug offences or property offences for the purpose of increasing a person’s notoriety.

Originally published as Young people’s risky behaviour fuelled by social media glory, police warn