Illicit Drug Advertisements on Social Media: A Study of UK High School Students

• In Event: Correlates and the Reasons Why People (Youth and Adults) Use Drugs

Abstract

The sale and advertisement of illicit drugs on social media is a rapidly evolving landscape. Understanding how young people’s motivations and purchasing strategies relate to their risk perceptions and reporting behaviors remains limited despite existing studies. We conduct a large-scale national survey of UK students aged 13 to 18 (N=1041) to explore the link between exposure to illicit drug ads and young people’s attitudes and behaviors regarding drug use. Preliminary results show that 63% of participants encountered drug-related content on social media, with 32% acknowledging seeing illicit drugs advertised for sale. Most drug ads were encountered without active search efforts. Further, 89% of young people had never reported illicit drug content on social media. The main reasons for not doing so were “I can’t be bothered” and “I don’t believe it would make a difference.” To address reporting barriers, we conduct an experiment embedded within our survey to identify effective messages to encourage reporting. Our research aims to inform content moderation, promote user reporting, and evaluate proactive detection techniques, all crucial for future online crime prevention. Our work has been disseminated directly to social media platforms and Ofcom, the UK regulatory entity, to contribute towards the UK’s Online Safety Act.

Author

• Ashly Fuller, University College London