What locks do you use regularly?
It’s an odd question but stick with us.
Maybe you have a bike you secure at work with a padlock or regularly travel with a suitcase fit with a combination lock.
Before buying these products, did you research how effective the lock would be at keeping your belongings safe? Or do you take the manufacturer’s word for it?
If you err on the side of caution when buying security products, good for you. Most people would trust that lock manufacturers only sell locks that are very, very secure.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. However, one YouTuber has made it his mission to expose popular security products’ vulnerabilities and has had a huge impact on the security industry along the way.
Meet the LockPickingLawyer.
Who is the LockPickingLawyer?
So, who is the LockPickingLawyer? Well, we don’t know. Despite being YouTube’s most popular lockpicker, LPL has done well to protect his anonymity, only ever showing his hands in videos.
What we do know is that he used to be a business litigator (hence, the ‘Lawyer’ part of his channel name) and that he has an uncanny ability to pick locks (we’ll let you work this bit out for yourselves.)
In 2015, LPL uploaded his first video, ‘Ten American Lock Series 1100 Padlocks Picked in a Row,’ and has posted over 1500 videos, winning him a huge 4.5 million subscribers.
The LockPickingLawyer’s (not-so-secret) mission
You may be wondering why this creator dedicates so much time to picking locks. Aside from it being a challenge he enjoys, LPL appears to have three goals:
- Educate consumers on the effectiveness of different security products, helping them make better purchasing decisions
- Reveal problematic vulnerabilities to lock producers, helping them produce better, more secure products
- To sell the tools he uses through his own company, Covert Instruments.
Most LPL videos are just a few minutes long. He spends most of their run times explaining what the audience is looking at, with mere seconds spent actually picking the lock, proving how quickly and easily most locks can be compromised.
How LockPickingLawyer changed an entire industry
Just as the Titanic’s shipbuilders realized there was no such thing as an ‘unsinkable’ ship, LPL is teaching customers (and security manufacturers) that there is no such thing as an unpickable lock.
LPL’s content attracts three audiences: those learning to pick locks, those researching which locks are most secure, and the manufacturers of these products.
So, it’s no surprise that manufacturers and businesses started sending him their locks to test, wanting to see how well they fare against a lock-picking ‘black belt.’ Some want to prove their lock is unpickable (it never is), while others genuinely seek out his expertise, wanting to uncover vulnerabilities in their products.
By revealing these flaws, LPL has driven real industry change. Not only has he educated consumers on what truly constitutes a ‘secure’ lock, but he has set a higher standard for companies; many have even redesigned their locks based on the weaknesses he has exposed!
What can creators learn from the LockPickingLawyer?
Whether you want to become the next viral lock picker or are toiling away in a similarly specific niche, there’s lots to be learned from the LockPickingLawer. Here are our four takeaways.
1) Anonymity can be powerful
LPL proves that you don’t need to show your face to build a strong brand. Anonymity can add a layer of intrigue, but you still need to create a persona of sorts for audiences to latch onto. Consider how you can incorporate humor into your videos like LPL or infuse your content with personality without giving too much away.
2) Niche expertise can have a massive impact
Who knew lock picking, an incredibly technical subject, could gain such traction online? LPL shows that, in the right expert’s hands, any subject, no matter how niche, can find a dedicated following.
3) Rise to the challenge
While LPL doesn’t engage with his audience in the traditional sense, he does accept challenges from viewers and manufacturers. This is a fun way to get audiences involved while proving your point.
4) When in doubt, KISS
Keep it simple, stupid! Most of LPL’s videos are less than two minutes long and follow a simple structure: he introduces himself, he explains the challenge, and he picks the lock, narrating his actions all the while. The lesson? Not all videos need to be all-singing all-dancing to be impactful.
