Crime

Detroit Police Want Social Media to Crack down on Videos of Drifting and Drag Racing

June 20, 2022, 7:26 AM

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Detroit Police say they've dedicated plenty of resources to crack down on the pervasive problem of drifting and drag racing. 

Commander Eric Decker, head of the Detroit Police Organized Crime Section, tells George Hunter of The Detroit News that social media companies should be held responsible for providing a financial incentive for breaking the law. YouTube pays some people after it embeds advertisements on their widely watched videos.  

"I think the social media companies have some culpability because they're advocating a very violent and illegal activity," he said. "People are dying, and they continue to post on social media so they can get likes and possibly get paid.

"The more crazy and wild the video, the more likes, and the more possible money can be made," Decker said. "And the social media companies are encouraging this."

Police are trying to work with social media companies to discourage posts about drifting and drag racing. "They say it's hard for them to stop people from posting because they're international companies, and different areas have different laws," Decker says.

Google, YouTube's parent company, did not respond to an email from The News. 


Read more:  The Detroit News


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