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DM for Details: Selling Drugs in the Age of Social Media

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DM for Details: Selling Drugs in the Age of Social Media DM for Details Selling Drugs in the Age of Social Media September 2019 Liz McCulloch & Scarlett Furlong Acknowledgements Contents Executive Summary 6 Introduction 9 Addaction Literature Review 10 Barnardos Methodology 13 Catch 22 Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation Prevalence of drug adverts on social media platforms 16 Demos How social media platforms are used to sell drugs 21 NSPCC Impact on young people 56 Dr Keir Irwin-Rodgers, The Open University Regulation and enforcement 71 Conclusion 77 Recommendations 78 The above organisations have contributed to this report, but its conclusions and recommendations do not necessarily represent their individual views. Appendix 81 Executive Summary How social media platforms are used It is concerning that many young people in the UK are bombarded by these advertisements The ethnographic trawl of Facebook, Snapchat and but are unlikely to be in receipt of good quality Instagram revealed how drugs are advertised and drugs education. Introduction Key Findings bought through social media platforms. Typically, dealers would advertise their drugs by posting, These platforms provide opportunities for dealers In this report, Volteface aims to bridge the gap in Prevalence videos, photos and statuses onto their social media to build trust with potential customers, with young understanding of how social media is being used as feeds or ‘stories’ showing what drugs they have people highlighting that they are more likely to see a marketplace for illicit drugs and the impact this One in four young people (24%) reported that available, the price and quantity they are selling an account advertising drugs as a ‘friend’, rather is having on young people – social media’s primary they see illicit drugs advertised for sale on social them for, and notifying users when they are open than as a ‘dealer’. This can leave young people user group. media – a significant figure considering how recent for business. vulnerable to exploitation, as well as reduce any a phenomenon this is. trepidations they may have around buying drugs. This report examines how prevalent this It was observed that buyers would then contact the phenomenon is, which platforms are most likely to Of those who reported seeing illicit drugs dealers by either commenting below their posts The ethnographic trawl revealed that dealers can host this activity, what drugs are being advertised, advertised for sale on social media: or contacting them in private via the platform’s advertise their associated lifestyles to their social how the platforms are being used, and what impact direct messaging function or encrypted messaging media networks, for example, by posting pictures • 56% saw drugs being advertised on Snapchat, this is having on young people’s wellbeing, as well sites, such as WhatsApp or Wickr. Drugs could of luxury items and cash – a technique that can 55% on Instagram and 47% on Facebook. as the challenges facing social media regulators and be exchanged in person, either with the buyer be used to recruit and control victims.4 There law enforcement. • 63% saw cannabis being advertised - making going to meet the dealer or vice versa, or by postal are reports that social media is changing how the it the most commonly seen drug advertised delivery. The trawl revealed that online payment county lines model operates as there is no longer for sale. Cocaine was the second drug most services such as PayPal were used if the drugs were the need to transport children from cities to rural Methodology commonly seen advertised (26%), followed by delivered by post. areas to sell drugs, as children who live in those MDMA/ Ecstasy (24%), Xanax (20%), Nitro rural areas can be groomed using social media. This research used a mixed methodology of both Social media’s in-built design features has helped • 72% said that they see illegal drugs advertised qualitative and quantitative research. To ascertain dealers to expand and professionalise their Buying for sale on social media sites or apps once a the prevalence of this phenomenon, Volteface businesses. The ‘search bar’ function can help month or more. commissioned Survation in January 2019 to dealers identify customers, hashtags can assist Social media has made it easier for young people conduct a nationally representative poll of 2,006 • 36% were not concerned by seeing drugs in their posts getting a wider reach, dealers can to buy drugs. Dealers can be found in an accessible 16-to-24 year olds. advertised for sale on social media. Worryingly, advertise their products and availability through way through platforms and without young people this percentage increased the younger the pictures and videos and the ‘suggested friends’ needing to have an existing drug user network. An unrepresentative ethnographic trawl was respondent. 33% aged 18+ were not concerned, function allows dealers to be suggested to new Even if a person already had access to a network, conducted on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat but this jumped to 48% for under-18s. potential buyers. it was found that social media provides widened – the platforms on which the poll suggested that access to a range of dealers and drugs. Once a drug distribution activity is most prevalent. This The data indicated that there is an association network is found, social media’s in-built design involved setting up accounts that observed and between frequency of social media use and the Impact features can then help expand this network. For recorded evidence of drugs being advertised and likelihood of seeing drugs advertised for sale. example, the ‘suggested friend’ function can sold through these platforms. The researchers The baseline of seeing drugs advertised for sale Witnessing recommend other dealers. Greater accessibility can did not communicate with any social media users on social media is 24%. This increases to 29% of lead to an increase in: drug use, the likelihood of during the trawl and all published screenshots have respondents who use social media every hour, Seeing drugs advertised for sale on social media people starting to use drugs and access to a wider been anonymised. compared to 14% of respondents who use social may normalise drug use, interviews with young variety of drugs. media once a day. people and professionals revealed. The evidence Volteface also invited relevant stakeholders to base corroborates this, for example, the frequency It was suggested during interviews that buying take part in interviews, an online survey and focus of seeing gambling advertisements plays a strong drugs through social media could be seen as some groups to evaluate the impact of drug selling and role in the normalisation of gambling in sports.1 form of harm reduction. The public facing nature of buying through social media platforms. A total of Additionally, the evidence suggests that advertising social media incentivises dealers to build-up their 24 interviews were conducted, five online survey is more persuasive and effective when conducted online reputation as users are able to connect more responses were received and 30 young people aged in familiar settings, such as on people’s social media easily, promote dealer accounts and leave public 13 to 17 participated in four focus groups. feeds,2 and studies have shown that paid social comments if they are unhappy with the service. media advertising has an impact on consumer This can make dealers more accountable to their buying behaviour.3 customer base, though it would be relatively Volteface | DM for Details: Selling Drugs in the Age of Social Media 5 easy for dealers to provide fake reviews of their Lastly, several interviewees stated that selling media platforms would only have to report the Government may face when implementing products or delete negative reviews. drugs through social media can reduce certain risks and respond to illegal activity within their own the white paper’s proposals, for example defining from traditional methods of selling, contributing platform, which may lead to under-reporting. private communications, what constitutes selling Young people also highlighted that they could ‘vet’ to the argument that this constitutes a form of Additionally, it remains unclear whether companies illegal drugs and how users could be encouraged to dealers before purchasing drugs from them by harm reduction. Most notably, where interactions would have an obligation to report illegal activity report this activity. scrolling through their social media profile. There is take place virtually and away from the streets to the police. Volteface identifies challenges that no way of knowing if the information presented on which may reduce risk of violence. However, if this social media is real or accurate and there is a risk of encourages more people to become involved in the young people meeting up with strangers who they drug trade, this would increase harm overall. as an inevitability. A taskforce of experts feel they have ‘vetted’. Conclusion should be appointed by the Government to recommend a world leading legislative and The public-facing nature of social media also leaves Regulation and Enforcement Social media is providing drug dealers with regulatory framework. buyers more exposed and vulnerable as dealers easy-to-use and familiar platforms that they can are able to access their profiles which may contain Volteface’s research reveals that, among the utilise to find and build trust with customers, 2. The scope of the Government’s Online personal or identifiable information. police, there is a lack of awareness and advertise their business, and disguise their Harms regulatory framework should understanding of the role that social media plays activities. Concerningly, Volteface’s research include Snapchat, Facebook and Social media can remove some harms by reducing in drug dealing. Additionally, the use of ever has shown that dealers have been quick to take Instagram, and any other social media face-to-face interactions with drug dealers, evolving coded language and emojis can make it up this opportunity, with one in four young platforms known to be hosting drug particularly if the drugs are sent via post.
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