Michigan’s YouTube Vigilantes: Heroes or Clout-Chasing Parasites?

[Long time lurker]

Anyone else getting tired of these Michigan YouTubers who “bust” child predators? I’m talking about people like Skeeter Jean, AnxietyWar, Boopac, and the rest of that crew. They film themselves pretending to be kids online, lure men into meetups, and then ambush them in parking lots or gas stations with cameras rolling. It’s all done under the banner of “protecting children,” but let’s be honest... This is entertainment, not law enforcement. The thumbnails, the dramatic music, the merch drops, it’s all part of the same influencer ecosystem they claim to be better than.

What bugs me is how reckless it all is. These guys aren’t cops, they don’t follow any legal protocol, and yet they post people’s faces all over YouTube before anyone’s been charged or convicted. Some of these confrontations happen in public places, and you can see bystanders just trying to buy groceries while a shouting match unfolds. Even if some of the people they catch are guilty, the whole spectacle cheapens something incredibly serious. It’s clickbait vigilante justice dressed up as heroism.

Michigan media keeps giving them oxygen, too. Local outlets run soft pieces about how they’re “doing what police won’t.” Maybe the police don’t do it because they’re bound by due process and evidence rules. These YouTubers aren’t. And until someone gets hurt like boopac did, or one of these videos ruins the wrong person’s life, and there are examples of trumped up charges and targeting the wrong person, it feels like we’re all just pretending this is fine because it gets views.

[MegaHertz]

At least someone is doing something about child predators.

[Long time lurker]

At least someone is doing something about child predators.

I would agree if they were just handing evidence to law enforcement and not making a big production out of their "busts". And from watching some of them, the evidence is so flimsy that cops often don't arrest even when called. I have seen these guys go free while the "busters" get trespassed from local Meijer's and Walmart's. Should workers have to do deal with this? And if they are really child predators, then why are they luring them to public locations where children are at? Just call the police.

[48125er]

Both anxiety war and skeeter Jean busted 2 people I knew growing up, unfortunately charges weren’t filed and police in the skeeter video got mad at skeeter

[MotorCityRadioFreak]

I think the bigger problem is how YouTube censors so much that Skeet Hanson had to change his videos. My favorite is the predator busting dude with the big beard.

[Long time lurker]

I think the bigger problem is how YouTube censors so much that Skeet Hanson had to change his videos. My favorite is the predator busting dude with the big beard.

You may want to look a little more into that guy. I assume you are talking about Alex Rosen (aka Gordon Flowers). He is a far right wing troll. There’s video online of him doing some really nasty things.

A lot of these pedo busters are trolls who use pedos as targets because no one is going to feel bad for a pedo. I agree, no one should feel bad for a pedo. However, this guy says some vile racist stuff.

[Long time lurker]

I think the bigger problem is how YouTube censors so much that Skeet Hanson had to change his videos. My favorite is the predator busting dude with the big beard.

You may want to look a little more into that guy. I assume you are talking about Alex Rosen (aka Gordon Flowers). He is a far right wing troll. There’s video online of him doing some really nasty things.

A lot of these pedo busters are trolls who use pedos as targets because no one is going to feel bad for a pedo. I agree, no one should feel bad for a pedo. However, this guy says some vile racist stuff.

[DefendTheDen]

Chris Hansen started this with Catch A Pred and now YouTubers are doing Chris's job I don't seek it out not my thing. Good for those doing the good fight I have no problem with what these YouTubers wanting to catch the preds that pray on children which isn't right even getting 2 busted and charged is a good thing. Just hope they don't go after the wrong person as that could bring a lawsuit.

[Long time lurker]

Chris Hansen started this with Catch A Pred and now YouTubers are doing Chris's job I don't seek it out not my thing. Good for those doing the good fight I have no problem with what these YouTubers wanting to catch the preds that pray on children which isn't right even getting 2 busted and charged is a good thing. Just hope they don't go after the wrong person as that could bring a lawsuit.

I agree to a point. However, if they really cared about the kids, they would just take the evidence to the cops and not do all this stuff to entertain. Also, this becomes training material for predators on how to avoid getting caught.

There is also scum like this idiot who just meet predators to smack them around. He clearly gets off on being able to smack someone around who is in a position where they cannot defend themselves. I don't care about predators, but this behavior tells a lot about the person, and it isn't that they care about kids. If they did, they would gather evidence and report them to the cops. All he does is record himself smacking the predator and sending them home.

https://www.instagram.com/burthatesbadguys_/

Guys like Alex Rosen, Jidion, and Skeeter Jean get convictions. This guy will eventually get convicted.

[yupislyr]

There's a semi notorious one of these guys over here from Windsor, Jason Nassr. He had apparently built up quite a following with his "Creeper Hunter TV" until he sort of ended up on the same trajectory as Chris Hansen.

After at least two of his targets committed suicide, it came crashing down. The vigilante ended up being the only one convicted of anything since he never actually shared anything with police and the prosecution later contended that it was all for his own gratification. He ended up convicted of harassment, extortion, and production of child pornography. He skated on a later charge of intimidation as he angrily tried to intimidate the prosecutor in open court. It's kind of a wild story.

[Gertner]

Jason Nassr is a sociopath.