Seeking Financial Gain Through Private Sanctions
Recent Private Sanctions Also Lead to Fatal Accidents
Recently, a fatal accident occurred due to a YouTuber's 'private sanction,' and now another controversy has arisen after a YouTuber was caught blocking innocent citizens' way and climbing onto the hood of their car, suspecting them of drunk driving. On the 25th, a video was uploaded on the YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV' showing two young men, estimated to be in their 20s, blocking the car of a couple in their 40s who were trying to go home.
On the 22nd, a man in his 30s who was fleeing from a drunk driving pursuit by a YouTuber in Gwangju engaged in a 1.9 km chase and ultimately died in a collision accident. [Photo by Gwangsan Fire Station, Gwangju]
The couple who reported the incident had been at a karaoke bar located in an entertainment district and were on their way home. The husband, who was driving, had not consumed alcohol, while only the wife in the passenger seat had been drinking. When the men asked if they had been drinking, the couple replied, "We did not drink," and then started to leave. After driving about 1 km, a taxi blocked their car. The men who had previously asked about drinking got out of the taxi. They blocked the car, suspecting drunk driving, and called the police.
During this process, the men filmed the couple with their smartphones and made finger V signs. Then, they claimed that the couple had assaulted them, saying, "Did I get hit? The black box here recorded it right away." When the two men refused to move, obstructing traffic, the couple tried to back up their car to get away. Then one of the group approached the reversing vehicle and even clung onto the hood. Meanwhile, another said to the police, "They are trying to hit a person and escape. They are also assaulting, and the situation is terrible."
About 1 km after driving the car, a taxi blocked the front of these vehicles. The men who had previously asked about drinking got out of the taxi. These men blocked the front of the car, suspecting drunk driving, and reported it to the police. [Photo by YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV']
The police who arrived after the report conducted a breathalyzer test and confirmed the couple was not guilty. The responding officer scolded, "Think about your behavior. Is it okay to climb onto a moving car?" and "Is it normal behavior to climb on top of a suspected vehicle and prevent it from moving?" The couple asked if they could sue the two men for false accusation.
A lawyer commented on the men's behavior, saying, "It seems like they attempted insurance fraud or extortion," but added, "Reporting on suspicion of drunk driving cannot be considered false accusation." He further explained, "If you secure evidence of their claim that they were hit without any contact, false accusation charges may be possible," and "You need to check the surveillance cameras (CCTV)."
Netizens who watched the video responded with comments such as, "They are skilled at extorting money by catching drunk drivers," "The police's remarks are refreshing. They should be punished severely so they won't do this again," "This is a side effect of the recent trend of private sanction content," and "Were they trying to make money by pretending to be righteous and exploiting the other's weakness?"
Recent Popularity of 'Private Sanction' Content Centered on YouTube and SNS
Recently, sharing tip-off videos on online communities and social networking services (SNS) has become common, and 'private sanction' content is gaining popularity. This mainly involves publicly revealing the identity of perpetrators of specific incidents or using physical force to punish instead of the police. Although this content claims to achieve 'justice,' its main purpose is to gain monetary benefits through views on sensational videos and to receive donations from subscribers.
Recently, with the increase in the sharing of tip-off videos on online communities and social networking services (SNS), 'private sanction' content has gained popularity. This mainly involves revealing the personal information of perpetrators in specific incidents or administering punishment through physical force instead of the police. [Photo source=Pixabay]
In fact, on the 22nd, a 30-year-old driver who fled from a drunk driving pursuit YouTuber in Gwangju engaged in a 1.9 km chase and died in a collision accident. About 400 people watched this broadcast on YouTube. The YouTuber was also investigated by the police in January after a scuffle with a driver suspected of drunk driving during a live broadcast. However, A continued live streaming on YouTube afterward, which eventually led to a fatal accident. The YouTube channel he operates has over 70,000 subscribers and nearly 800 videos.
Online communities are now debating whether it is appropriate for a YouTuber, not the police, to carry out so-called 'private sanctions,' despite drunk driving being illegal, triggered by this fatal accident. Furthermore, since views translate directly into money, the intensity of 'private sanction' and so-called 'justice implementation' content is increasing. In May, a man in his 50s live-streamed stabbing another YouTuber to death with a weapon near the Busan District Court. The attack scene and the victim's screams were exposed on YouTube without any filtering. This has raised concerns about private sanction content. Some experts point out, "Private sanctions by civilians, not the police, are illegal and can create additional victims," and "They normalize revenge and anger and can undermine trust in public authority."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
