Facebook, TikTok amplified armed groups' content recruiting children in Colombia: HRW

Social media giants Facebook and TikTok are failing to adequately detect, remove, and prevent the spread of content produced by armed groups in Colombia for the recruitment of minors, according to a denunciation by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The human rights organization stated that the platforms' algorithms appear to actively promote this content. This failure contributes to a drastic increase in child recruitment, a grim reality that has plagued Colombia for six decades. HRW's investigation reveals that since 2021, at least 1,500 minors have been recruited, with armed groups using them primarily for combat, intelligence gathering, and operating drones.

The report highlights the alarming use of social media to "glorify armed life" and promote "deceptive job offers." HRW documented posts featuring criminals displaying cash and jewelry, or posing in camps while listening to narcocorridos, Mexican-style songs that praise organized crime. Some users have inquired in comments about joining groups like the Clan del Golfo cartel or FARC dissidents who rejected the 2016 peace agreement.

Indigenous children constitute nearly half of the victims of this crime, which is considered a war crime. Girls, making up 40% of cases, face the additional threat of sexual violence. HRW has informed Meta, Facebook's parent company, and ByteDance, TikTok's owner, about these issues. Both companies stated they have removed the content flagged by HRW, with Meta assuring continuous efforts to refine its strategy against child recruitment and ByteDance asserting proactive measures to prevent illegal armed groups from using its platform for such purposes.

Despite the 2016 peace agreement that disarmed the majority of the FARC, dissident factions and other armed groups have expanded their operations. The article notes that President Abelardo de la Espriella, in power for less than a month, is promoting a military offensive against these groups with support from the United States and Israel.