Tik Tok Theft
Critical Analysis
Based on the visual above, approximately how many car thefts were reported in Dayton, Ohio in June 2022?
Based on the visual above, approximately how many car thefts were reported in Dayton, Ohio in December 2022?
Based on the visual above, describe the trend in Hundai or Kia car thefts over time.
Stop. Before you read any further, make a prediction about the cause of that change.
Car thefts started rising last summer in Baltimore, Cleveland, and other cities across the country. In fact, from December 2021 to December 2022, reported thefts rose 50 percent in Atlanta and El Paso, Texas. They doubled in Chicago. They tripled in Dayton, Ohio. In June 2022, videos by a group dubbed the “Kia Boys” demonstrating how to start some Kias and Hyundais using a USB charger went viral on TikTok. TikTok has since removed such videos from its platform, but they could still be having an impact on the physical world. Make a claim about whether Tik Tok should be liable (legally responsible) for these thefts.
What Amendment of the U.S. Constitution might a lawyer representing Tik Tok cite as a defense for why they should not be help liable for the thefts.
Based on what you know about the American political system and federalism explain why most of these car thefts are handled on local or state level and not by federal authorities.
We don’t have complete data on car theft across the country because Police departments are encouraged but not required to report detailed crime data to the FBI. Departments in cities such as New York City and Chicago, which didn't voluntarily report to the FBI in 2021, still publish weekly motor vehicle theft totals on their own websites. What would an Anti-Federalist say about whether cities and states should be required to report data to a central, national agency.
For national security reasons, unrelated to the rash of car thefts nationwide, the United States is considering banning Tik Tok. FBI Director Chris Wray warned in December that the Chinese government controls the app's recommendation algorithm, allowing it to potentially manipulate content or instigate operations to influence users, and that the Chinese government maintains the ability to collect user data. More than 20 U.S. states have banned state employees from using TikTok on government-issued devices and a number of U.S. universities have barred it from their WiFi networks. Imagine that the U.S. did move forward on legislation to ban Tik Tok, describe some steps citizens could take to try to stop a Tik Tok ban.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told "Fox News Sunday" that he and Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) will introduce legislation this week aimed at creating an approach for banning or prohibiting foreign technology, such as TikTok. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Angus King (I-Maine) reintroduced legislation last month that would ban TikTok from operating in the U.S. Make a claim explaining why there has been bipartisan (across party line) agreement on the banning of Tik Tok.
Learning Extension
Listen to this short NPR story about the constitutionality of a Tik Tok ban.
Action Extension
Contact President Joe Biden and tell him what he should do about Tik Tok.
Visual Extension
Open Secrets
Notice the start date of the increase in theft in Milwaukee. One of the most-cited car theft videos was filmed in Milwaukee. The city is often viewed as the origin for the nationwide rash of thefts, as it was one of the first to experience a wave of stolen Kias and Hyundais. Thefts rose in November 2020 — nearly 18 months before the videos went viral — and increased throughout 2021.
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