Cart Narcs is an American group[citation needed] of volunteers from Burbank, California, formed by Sebastian Davis[citation needed] (born August 31, 1980),[citation needed] also known as "Agent Sebastian".[2]

Cart Narcs
Personal information
Born
Sebastian Davis

(1980-08-31) August 31, 1980 (age 43)
OriginBurbank, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesAgent Sebastian
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2020–present
Subscribers573 thousand[1]
(June 24, 2024)
Total views76.7 million[1]
(June 24, 2024)
Websitecartnarcs.com
100,000 subscribers

The group is best known for its video confrontations with retail customers who leave their shopping carts in parking lots.[3][4] They often do this through humorous or lighthearted interactions, aiming to promote good etiquette and habits. The group is also popular for referring to such individuals as "lazybones," a term coined by the Cart Narcs labeling those who refuse to put their carts away as lazy. Occasionally, the Cart Narcs might also call out those who litter. The group is popular due to its YouTube channel, which has amassed over 500,000 subscribers. The group's founder, Sebastian Davis, stated on an episode of Dr. Phil that the group's mission is to ensure public decency.[5]

Although "Cart Narcs" is based in California, they have conducted "investigations" in New Jersey,[3] New York, Texas, Hawaii, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.[6]

Criticism

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The Cart Narcs have received criticism, with some referring to their actions as "harassing," and stating that the group is not trying to protect public decency, but instead trying to publicly shame people for the purpose of entertainment at the expense of others.[7]

Safety concerns

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Sebastian Davis has reported that certain individuals whom he and his group have confronted retaliated by resorting to physical force, including pointing guns, throwing drinks, chasing them, and hurling car magnets.[3] Some individuals have also responded with verbal threats. To mitigate the risk of harm, Davis and all other Cart Narc agents wear bulletproof vests and receive training in self-defense, as well as sprinting when required.

References

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  1. ^ a b "About Cart Narcs". YouTube.
  2. ^ "I Found The Best YouTube Channel Called "Cart Narcs" And It Gives Me Life!". 95.9 The RAT. August 23, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Hate when people leave shopping carts in parking lots? The 'Cart Narcs' targeted Clifton". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  4. ^ "Leaving shopping carts unattended at Costco is no laughing matter for this man in a viral video". Staten Island Advance. June 3, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
  5. ^ ""Publicly Shamed By 'The Cart Narcs'"". Dr. Phil. November 4, 2021.
  6. ^ "YouTuber 'Agent Sebastian' Brings 'Cart Narcs' Series To Levittown". Levittown Now. September 16, 2022.
  7. ^ Reynolds, CJ; John, Nicholas (September 15, 2021). "Cart Narcs and the Engineering of Social Shaming as Entertainment". AoIR Selected Papers of Internet Research. doi:10.5210/spir.v2021i0.12232. ISSN 2162-3317. S2CID 240535003.
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