Glocks, animal emoji & narcoculture: How TikTok amplifies gang culture and youth criminal recruitment in Ecuador
Gabriel Brito is a Digital Good Network Fellow, working at the Oxford Internet Institute with Professor Scott Hale on a project that seeks to understand the digital dynamics of cartel-related gang violence in Latin America, with a particular focus on the use of TikTok by gang members for recruiting young users in Ecuador.
The project aims to map the digital ecosystem of transnational gangs and explore the digital identities, content creation, and consumption patterns of users engaged with this content. By integrating digital ethnography with data science techniques, Gabriel seeks to scale cultural insights and identify the most influential narratives and symbols circulating among different gangs.
This comparative analysis will offer critical insights into the role of social media algorithms in shaping the identities, aspirations, and sense of belonging among young Ecuadorians, particularly those vulnerable to recruitment. The findings will contribute to wider discussions on social media regulation and strategies for mitigating the impact of harmful content on vulnerable audiences.
