Loughborough MP Jeevun Sandher has called on TikTok to address social media accounts he alleges are "glorifying" motorbike theft and dangerous, illegal road behaviour. Mr Sandher expressed concern that TikTok and other tech companies are allowing content that normalises criminal activity.
The Labour MP wrote to TikTok, specifically requesting the removal of six accounts associated with the LE11 Loughborough postcode area he represents. He stated that these accounts show videos of riders, often masked, breaking speed limits and ignoring road rules, which he believes normalises crime and indicates a "systemic failure of moderation" by TikTok.
TikTok informed the BBC that it has since suspended a number of accounts and removed related content. A spokesperson for the platform said that "the vast majority" of the accounts cited had already been banned for violating their guidelines, and that 99% of videos removed between January and March were taken down proactively.
Mr Sandher highlighted that searching TikTok for "twoking", a term related to taking vehicles without consent, reveals hundreds of similar accounts nationally. He also raised concerns that TikTok's reliance on AI moderation may struggle to differentiate between innocuous content and material that promotes criminality.
Leicestershire Police stated that dedicated teams monitor social media as an intelligence source and act on information. The force also mentioned running Operation Original late last year and into 2026 to target vehicle-related crime and anti-social behaviour in Loughborough, Shepshed, and Hathern, with further operations in the planning stages.