Social media expand the reach of criminal networks among young people

The involvement of young people in serious and organised crime is high on the political and policy agenda. To better understand the role social media plays in this, the researchers presented a questionnaire to 1,016 young people aged 16 to 27. They also analysed messages in public Telegram groups and conducted interviews with youth workers and young people who are involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, crime.

Personal social networks remain the primary entry point

Both the professionals interviewed and the young people themselves indicate that young people typically come into contact with crime gradually through their immediate environment — family members, classmates and neighbours. Social media appears to function primarily as a supplement, expanding opportunities when an existing network is too limited to carry out an offence.

Eighty percent not exposed

Eighty percent of respondents have never seen a call on social media for drug- or violence-related offences. One in five had. A smaller proportion (6.1 percent) say they have personally been approached for a criminal job, more often men under 21.

Snapchat as the primary recruitment channel

Platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram play a clear role in this picture, with Snapchat the most prominent. Through that platform, young people are mainly recruited for relatively minor jobs, such as picking up or dealing drugs and placing heavy fireworks at homes. The calls are typically worded vaguely; it only becomes clear what type of offence is involved in private messages. The research also shows that recruiters are not the only ones active on social media: some young people use these platforms to offer themselves up for criminal activities.