TV's "Jackass" and "Dirty Sanchez" are blamed for the growing "happy slapping" craze in Britain, where children film each other attacking strangers.
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The films are then posted on the Internet or exchanged by cell phone.
Dr. Graham Barnfield, head of media at the University of East London, said the craze had a striking similarity with stunts in the MTV and Channel 4 shows, the BBC reported Thursday.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said he had narrowly avoided falling victim to "happy slapping" when approached by a group of teenage boys with a video camera in a motorway cafe.
An MTV spokesman said the series made clear that "no attempt should be made to recreate" stunts in the programs.
