Western Australia grapples with rising ‘crimfluencer’ videos as anti-boast law stalls

A wave of TikTok videos showing young people allegedly operating stolen cars and evading police in Kununurra, a remote town in Western Australia’s far north, has drawn national attention. Local leaders, including Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley president David Menzel, say the posts glorify illegal conduct and may fuel further incidents. Experts such as criminologist Joel McGregor describe the phenomenon as “crimfluencer” culture, where social-media exposure offers a reward that outweighs the risk of additional sentencing.

The state’s proposed “post-and-boast” law would criminalise online bragging about crimes with penalties of up to three years in prison and $12,000 fines, regardless of prior conviction. However, a parliamentary committee has paused the bill, citing potential disproportionate impacts on youth and Indigenous residents, while legal scholar Marilyn Bromberg urges tech firms like Meta to remove the material instead of expanding jail time. The government says it is developing educational programs to deter such behaviour.