Lockmaker Sues YouTuber After 10M View Lock-Picking Demo
▼ Summary
– Trevor McNally, a former US Marine, gained over 7 million followers and 2 billion views by demonstrating how to easily open common locks through slapping, picking, or shimming.
– Proven Industries challenged critics with a promotional video showing their $130 trailer hitch lock resisting attacks from tools like a sledgehammer and crowbar.
– An Instagram user suggested McNally test the Proven lock, to which Proven responded by claiming he only targets cheap, easy locks.
– McNally responded by posting a video where he opened the Proven lock in seconds using a shim made from a can of Liquid Death, without speaking.
– The video of McNally defeating the lock went viral, accumulating nearly 10 million views on YouTube alone.
A Florida lock manufacturer has initiated a lawsuit against a prominent YouTuber after his lock-picking demonstration, viewed by millions, allegedly exposed critical vulnerabilities in their high-security product. The case raises significant questions about product testing, free speech, and the power of social media influencers to impact brand reputation.
Trevor McNally, a former US Marine Staff Sergeant, has built an enormous online following by demonstrating the surprising ease with which many common locks can be compromised. His channel, which boasts over seven million subscribers, has accumulated billions of views for content showing him opening locks through techniques like slapping, picking, or using simple shims. While his audience finds this fascinating, the companies whose products are featured are often less than thrilled.
The situation escalated when Proven Industries, a lock manufacturer, released a promotional video directly challenging public skepticism. The video, titled “YOU GUYS KEEP SAYING YOU CAN EASILY BREAK OFF OUR LATCH PIN LOCK,” featured a company representative vigorously attacking their $130 trailer hitch lock with heavy tools like a sledgehammer and crowbar. The lock withstood the assault, and the company presented this as definitive proof of its resilience.
The challenge did not go unnoticed by McNally’s followers. An Instagram user tagged the lock-picking expert, suggesting he put the Proven lock to the test. The company itself entered the comments, asserting that McNally typically targets inexpensive locks because they are simpler and faster to defeat, implying their own product was far superior.
Approximately one month later, McNally posted his response. In a video that has since garnered close to ten million views on YouTube, he calmly watched the original Proven Industries promo while sipping a drink. Without uttering a single word, he then approached the same model of trailer hitch lock and opened it in mere seconds. His tool of choice was not a specialized lock-picking set, but a simple shim he fashioned from an aluminum can. The silent, efficient demonstration served as a stark contrast to the company’s aggressive marketing campaign, leading directly to the current legal dispute.
(Source: Ars Technica)