TikToker Gets Arrested After Shocking Act That Caused Police Action

Youngsters are doing literally anything, even illegal things, just to go viral on social media. A teenager's desperate attempt at online fame has led to real-world consequences after he reportedly called in a bogus emergency that mobilised multiple emergency services in Blackpool, England.

The weird plan was simple yet reckless. It was to get more views and engagement on his TikTok account. Instead of applause and likes, he now faces criminal charges and public backlash for wasting valuable taxpayer-funded resources and endangering public safety.

The outrageous incident took place in the early hours of a chilly January morning when authorities were alerted to a supposed person in distress at sea near the local RNLI lifeboat station.

What Exactly Happened

It all went down on 13 January 2026, when emergency services in Blackpool were activated after a distress call that turned out to be fake. The caller, who police later identified as 19-year-old Kian King, reportedly phoned in an alert saying someone had entered the sea near the RNLI lifeboat station at around 2.30 am.

Then, in response, Lancashire Police, fire crews, ambulances, HM Coastguard units, lifeboat volunteers and even aerial support were deployed. For approximately 90 minutes, rescuers scoured the waters and surrounding areas for a person who never existed.

Next, after the fruitless search, authorities deemed the call a hoax linked to increased engagement on a social media account. Police charged King with causing the wasteful employment of police time, a serious offence that can carry legal penalties. HM Coastguard also issued a warning about the use of a laser pen to direct light at search equipment during the operation, a further irresponsible act that jeopardised the safety of responders.

Moreover, service representatives reportedly implied that such devices pose a significant risk to personnel and hinder efforts to save lives.

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The Viral Trend of Dangerous Acts for Views

Unfortunately, the Blackpool case is not an isolated event at all. Around the world, influencers have been facing legal trouble after staging attention-grabbing content that crosses legal and ethical guidelines. In the United States in 2024, a TikTok content creator was arrested after allegedly threatening to bomb an airport as part of a prank for videos, even though no actual bomb was present. The stunt resulted in serious charges and a high bail of $100,000 (£ 74,600 approx).

Furthermore, other dangerous acts are tied to stunts that put the public at risk. In Vietnam, a 23-year-old woman was fined and had her driving licence revoked after posting videos of herself performing risky motorbike tricks, such as riding without hands and gesturing while in motion. Traffic police seized her vehicle and penalised her for endangering lives in pursuit of online content.

There are also examples of prank content that directly

threatens others' physical safety. In Paris, a social media influencer faced legal action for approaching unsuspecting strangers and pretending to jab them with empty syringes as part of staged videos.

Not just that, in Lagos, Nigeria, a popular TikToker known as PELLER was arrested after driving dangerously and causing a serious accident during a livestream. Police described his actions as not only reckless but posing a threat to both his life and that of other road users on the busy thoroughfare.

These insane incidents together show an unsettling truth about today's youth: that the pursuit of digital fame and virality, in many cases, leads some individuals to engage in behaviour that flirts with, or outright crosses, legal and ethical lines.