Social media challenge brings increase in school vandalism
According to digital anthropologist Giles Crouch, the TikTok social media trend known as "The Devious Licks challenge" is spreading quickly online.
"It is going down to Latin America and it worked up to Canada very quickly," said Crouch. "This is being seen all across Canada."
The challenge features some students destroying school bathroom fixtures while damaging and stealing other school property items.
"Soap dispensers coming out of the walls," said Reign Sherrington, the brother of a Halifax-area student. "I heard at Halifax West High School, they had sinks coming out of the walls."
TikTok is removing "Devious Licks" posts from its platform. Crouch said students likely think it is only a prank, not vandalism.
"This is sort of the digital age version of pulling the fire alarm from 20-plus years ago, when we were in high school," said Crouch.
The issue is serious enough, that Millwood High School sent a note home to parents.
Jenna Kedy is a student at Bay View High School.
"Our school last week sent a huge email that said they wanted people to stop breaking soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers," said Kedy. "And then I started hearing from friends and seeing videos on my TikTok feed from people at various schools around Halifax, breaking soap dispensers and breaking paper towel holders."
Crouch said young people often participate in a social media activityto join the crowd and gain peerre-enforcement.
"They are more concerned about getting social acceptance," said Crouch.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.