Authorities are issuing a warning to parents regarding a rise in the "Door Kicking" trend, which involves minors venturing out after dark to forcefully strike residential front doors.
The Fleetwood Police Department in Pennsylvania commented, as reported by Fox News: “While ‘ding dong ditch’ has been a hallmark for decades of kids who were looking to have a little mischievous fun, today’s youth have taken things to a more serious level by kicking in door and ultimately causing damage.” The statement further highlighted the severe risks: “Besides the financial consequences to homeowners who are often left with the expense of repairs, there is the potential for a child to be seriously hurt or even killed by someone who believes, especially in the middle of the night, that their residence is being broken into and ultimately determines there is an imminent threat to life and property.”
Minors apprehended for engaging in this challenge could face legal repercussions such as trespassing, property damage, or even burglary, with specific charges varying based on their state of residence and the severity of their actions. Conversely, homeowners who take measures to defend themselves, potentially even using a firearm, would generally be considered justified in such circumstances.
Lansdale Police Chief Mike Trail cautioned NBC 10 Philadelphia, stating, “Some children may think this is a harmless prank, but the recipient of your harmless prank may not know that. These things can have disastrous results.”
Regrettably, this isn't an isolated incident of a perilous and damaging trend circulating on social media platforms. Back in 2021, the "Devious Lick" phenomenon gained traction on TikTok, urging students to pilfer items from their schools—everything from face masks to timepieces, microscopes, and other high-value equipment.
Although TikTok asserts that it swiftly curtails such trends once they are brought to its attention, real-world observations suggest otherwise. The "Devious Lick" trend, for instance, circulated for several weeks, accumulating millions of views before the platform eventually took action to block it.
Influencer Phillip Hamilton remarked, “At this point, devious licks has spread outside the platform. It’s all over Instagram, Facebook, you name it. I’m not surprised they did it, just surprised that they let it get to such a point before taking steps to shut it down.”
The "Door Kicking" challenge seems to be following a similar trajectory, persisting and expanding its reach across the platform, even though it has been present since at least January 2024.
Social media platforms, including TikTok, bear a responsibility to more effectively moderate harmful and unlawful content, instead of allowing it to generate revenue while exposing their younger audience to serious risks.