Innovating Gang Violence Prevention with Social Media Data: A Qualitative Approach

Introduction: A great deal is known about risks associated with gang violence. In an age of digital social networks, little is known about the role of technology as a potential risk factor for gang violence. Increased access to social networking sites provides gangs with a unique space where they can curate their identity and express their lived experiences. These virtual spaces can abruptly turn into threatening environments where users engage in Internet banging. Media reports suggest that conflict on social media can spillover into the community and result in serious injury or homicide. A crucial challenge is determining the conditions in which social media content transmutes into a risk factor.

Methods: In 2014, we interviewed 40 Black and Latino young men in Chicago between the ages 14-24. Half (n=20) of the participants identified as current or former gang members. Participants engaged in a two-part 60-90 minute, audio-recorded, semi-structured interview. Participants described their neighborhood, experiences with violence, social media behaviors, and experiences with threats online. Participants then interpreted 15 Twitter posts from a well-known Chicago gang member who had a large Twitter following and was murdered in April 2014. Thirty-two (32) participants completed the full interview. Grounded theory was used as a framework to identify, refine, and integrate themes that emerged from participants’ responses.

Results: Four overarching themes explain how gangs interpret threatening posts on Twitter. These include: 1) venting; 2) dissing; 3) calling out; and 4) imminent danger. Venting, is a non-threatening form of communication that describes how youth express their feelings and reflect on the socio-economic issues present in their lives. Dissing describes posts perceived as humiliating to the receiver and viewers of a post. Calling out takes dissing a step further, where other users instigate those being dissed to respond to the insult with a digital threat and/or physical violence. Imminent Danger describes threatening posts that appear serious because of the individual’s intent to engage in a violent act.

Conclusion Our research has significant implications for violence prevention work in inner-city neighborhoods. Highly trained professionals can use social media data to detect and mediate impending conflict online and identify areas in the community where a violent altercation is most likely to occur. When direct services are provided, practitioners can use social media to ensure outreach services are attuned and responsive to the culture, social climate, trauma experiences, and strengths and needs of youth and their gangs.