Taxi driver accused over TikTok and mobile phone videos wins licence back after AI defence convinces councillors
- Perry Richardson
- 5 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A dual taxi driver suspended over allegations of mobile phone use while driving has had his licence reinstated after councillors concluded he remained a “fit and proper person” to hold a licence.
Members of Stockton Borough Council’s General Licensing Committee were asked to determine the continued fitness of the combined hackney carriage and private hire driver following the receipt of evidence suggesting he had operated a mobile phone while driving. The driver’s licence had been suspended pending the hearing.
The case centred on a collection of CCTV screenshots, interview transcripts and social media videos, alongside an officer statement relating to the use of artificial intelligence within footage linked to the driver’s online content.
Licensing officers presented councillors with video clips which they said appeared to show the driver using a mobile phone while driving. Members also viewed footage which officers said appeared to show members of the public being filmed and subsequently posted on social media without their knowledge or consent.
Stockton licensing committee lifts suspension after hearing claims that some disputed footage was AI-generated and other clips were recorded using hands-free equipment.
Appearing before the committee alongside his representative, the driver disputed the allegations. His representative told members that the driver operated three cameras within his vehicle, including two safeguarding cameras and a GoPro camera used to capture external footage for a TikTok account. The committee heard that all cameras were mounted and operated hands-free.
Members were told the GoPro footage automatically transferred to the driver’s mobile phone and was edited and uploaded to TikTok when he was not driving. The committee also heard that the driver “liked to make TikTok videos for fun as a hobby” and in some cases used AI technology when creating content.
During the hearing, councillors scrutinised several videos. These included footage showing a camera zooming in on a vehicle ahead, a clip featuring a horse and cart while the driver was behind the wheel, a shaky video filmed on a residential estate, footage appearing to show the driver reacting to another video while travelling in a moving vehicle, and a clip showing him apparently filming with a facial filter while his vehicle appeared to be in motion.
The driver’s representative maintained that footage showing external scenes had been recorded using the mounted GoPro camera. He also stated that the horse and cart footage had been filmed by the driver’s nephew from the passenger seat using the driver’s phone.
Regarding footage featuring members of the public, the driver accepted that one clip had been uploaded after being sent to him by a friend, although he told members he regretted doing so. He also informed councillors that some clips had been generated using AI and demonstrated how such content could be created.
After considering all evidence and representations, the committee decided to reinstate the driver’s licence. Members concluded that he remained a fit and proper person to hold a combined hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence.
However, councillors issued a warning about his future conduct and online activity. The committee told the driver: “he must be careful what he uploads online, and the comments that he makes on the footage, as this could reflect badly on combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – as a driver, and on the Council as the licensing authority.”
The committee ultimately resolved that the suspension should be lifted and the driver’s licence reinstated, with the warning formally recorded against his licensing record.
The case highlights the growing challenge licensing authorities face when assessing evidence sourced from social media platforms, particularly where AI-generated content and in-vehicle recording technology form part of a driver’s defence.
