In a recent bipartisan push to stymie the exploitation of social media by drug cartels, a group of lawmakers introduced the Combating Cartels on Social Media Act. The bill, brought forward by Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and James Lankford (R-OK), alongside Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-6) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), aims to undercut the worrying trend of cartels luring American teens into illegal activities. According to Kelly's official Senate webpage, the bill would mandate the Department of Homeland Security to concoct and execute a national strategy designed to combat this digital recruitment.
Social media apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok have become tools in cartels' arsenals, leveraging them to recruit Americans for drug and human smuggling over the U.S.-Mexico border. "Drug cartels are a constant threat to Arizona communities, and they are using social media to put teens and young adults in harm’s way," Kelly stated in the announcement. Lankford's contribution underscored an inconsistency in social media companies' enforcement of their terms, allowing, by way of negligence, human smugglers to operate on their platforms, the Senator argued.
The legislation also opens the door for social media companies to voluntarily share with law enforcement any cartel recruitment posts they come across, potentially assisting in the interception and disruption of these criminal activities. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who co-sponsored the bill, emphasized the dire need for a strategic crackdown, addressing cartels' exploitation of technology to harm communities. Tillis remarked on the urgency to confront these organizations, while Gallego spoke of the nightmarish scenario of cartels targeting Arizona teens, as reported on Kelly's Senate page.
In support of the bill, local Arizona officials voiced their concerns. Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels highlighted the very real consequence seen within his county, where young Americans have been engaged in high-speed pursuits due to cartel manipulation. The Western States Sheriffs’ Association, represented by President and Gilliam County Sheriff Gary Bettencourt, voiced full support for the legislation, citing social media's role in facilitating transcontinental criminal organizations and their impact on communities. Moreover, the National Sheriffs’ Association lauded the bill's approach to assemble a Platform Safety Advisory Committee, as noted by the Senator's Office.
