To feel that "pranks" are getting completely out of control

[LindaDeb]

I'm not ranting about a couple of kids ringing doorbells, but I'm really seeing the dark-side of these social media 'pranks' that kids are so keen to emulate. I found out recently (through his friend's mother!) that my DS (19) had copied one such prank which, like I fear many do, involved breaking the law. DS and a couple of his friends had gone to a little corner shop and stolen some trivial items (sweets I believe), and one of them had filmed this 'prank' to upload onto their social media, but very fortunately, he was stupid enough to let his mother see it, and she had him delete it almost immediately.

When I approached my son about it he didn't seem to take it seriously at all, indeed when I asked about it he showed me some videos, here's an example so you can understand why I'm so worked up,

(seems to wear his trousers like my son too, great!) So they went there and shouted "Boonk Gang" in blind emulation of this complete and utter loser. Are these really the role models for teens today? I just can't believe it. I have to EXPLAIN to my 19-year old son that no, going in and shoplifting is illegal, NOT a prank! And for the shopkeeper, a 6 ft 2 kid in a hoodie taking stuff doesn't become okay once they say "dude it's just a prank".

Employers see this stuff and my son KNOWS this. They should also know the law is the law. Looking up this fool they copied shows me he has been arrested multiple times. Again, brilliant role model!

I'm sorry, what a rant, but rant over. Can we just return to knock and run PLEASE.

Tell him that 'prank' doesn't really count in a court of law. Did you steal - yes or no?

That's not a prank it's theft

Hmm I don't know really.

As much as I agree those pranks are stupid and dangerous, your son is an adult and chooses to do it regardless.

The world is full of things we shouldn't copy and this is one of them.

He needs to grow up this is bonkers how it can be portrayed as a prank.

You must be very proud

And to be perfectly honest, that guy in the video is going to get a baseball bat around the head on of these days, if he hasn't already.

Oh come on. Your son is 19, not 12. He knows its wrong, don't blame this on YouTube.

It’s not a ‘prank’ your ds is a thief!

Your 19 year old ds and you can’t say well he only done it becuase he saw it on you tube as a prank, like your ds didn’t know taking items from a shop without paying is stealing ffs

Nothing to do with YouTube: somebody who thinks this is a prank at 19 has a more fundamental problem. As pp said, he is not 12.

OP, did you mean to type 9? Or is he really 19yo?

I'd peg him up by his ears

He is an adult. He chose to steal something for the lolz. How would you feel hearing that in court, your adult son telling Judgemental Judy "yeah, i like totally did it just for the lolz".

Is your son Patrick Star?

That’s not a prank. Social media can be blamed for a lot of things, but not encouraging people to steal and posting videos of it online.

If you have to explain to a nineteen year old that shoplifting is bad then the blame is on the nineteen year old, not YouTube.

How bizarre...

You can’t blame YouTube for your son being an idiot.
I hope he doesn’t play violent video games if he copies everything he sees on screen

What? So they walk in and just take things in plain sight? . Do they give them back afterwards? Stupid

Isn't it the definition of stupid to film yourself shoplifting and then distribute the video? What a wally.

Perhaps he has the Respect of the Boonk Gang now for taking penny sweets. #tru Gansta

19? FFS
Does he not have a job or a college course to focus on?
He needs to grow up, if he was mine I would go mad at him.

Does your DS have a mind of his own?

I don't get it.

If he is doing that he deserves to get caught and arrested.

Yes, it is theft, absolutely I do agree with you all. I don't want to seem like one of these mothers blaming everyone and everything else other than my son, but if this "Boonk Gang" individual was not so popular (millions of social media fans) then there wouldn't be that influence, surely?

To answer some questions, AFAIK they have only done is particular "Boonk Gang" prank/theft once. He doesn't really have much else to focus on as he is absolutely lazy and got in some trouble at some previous positions. Am I proud of him? Sometimes, but not always, and obviously not in this instance. Mind of his own? Hardly, whatever trash is being drilled into him about what is cool or "thug" at any given time. Did they return the sweets? No, he claimed to me they would have but got "hungry" and ate them instead. I don't buy it for a second as apparently they ran for about 20 mins straight. Couldn't have got too far, mind you, with their trousers hobbling them, but that's gangster innit? Not much consolation for the poor shopkeeper anyway, who I don't think knew what was going on...

"Your son is 19 not 12. Don't blame this on YouTube"
110% this

Also don't down play ringing door bells and running away. That can be very intimidating to someone of a nervous disposition.

You tube isn't the one that should have been parenting him for 19 years.
My 5 year old knows that you don't take things from shops without paying how does your 19 year old not??
Is he aware that if caught he will be convicted like an adult (which he is) and the excuse that he saw it on you tube as a prank will not excuse anything

YouTube is really the last of your worries.

I'd be mortified if my child acted like this at 19, I'd be really embarrassed by him.

Don't try blaming his behaviour on the internet, it's not hard to see his like this because his mother constantly blamed someone else for his shitty attitude.

"He doesn't really have much else to focus on as he is absolutely lazy and got in some trouble at some previous positions."

he is an adult: why doesn't he have to either study or work, like the rest of us?

How does he pay for his social life if he doesn't have a job. Sorry if he does have one and you mean lazy in other ways