UN Asks Facebook, TikTok to Stop Colombian Rebel Groups from Recruiting on Social Media

Rebel groups in Colombia are turning to social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok to lure in children and teenagers. The United Nations (UN) says this must stop, and it is asking social media companies to do more to block this dangerous content.

Scott Campbell, the UN’s top human rights official in Colombia, says these rebel groups are targeting youth from poor and Indigenous communities. They use videos that make rebel life look exciting and full of adventure. Some videos show members riding motorcycles or SUVs, wearing uniforms, and promoting slogans like, “Join me and you will know friendship without hypocrisy.”

These videos often include the logos of rebel groups and try to attract young people with promises of money, gifts like phones, and a better lifestyle. According to the UN, this kind of content is harmful and illegal, and it needs to be taken down faster.

Campbell says companies like Facebook (owned by Meta) are not investing enough in content moderation in countries like Colombia. He believes that social media companies take more action in rich countries because they face more political pressure there. In Colombia and other parts of the global south, however, not enough is being done.

Meta says it already bans terrorist groups from using its platforms and works with law enforcement to fight online recruitment. The company also said it is sharing information with other tech firms to stop these threats. TikTok has not yet responded to these concerns.

The situation is serious. Last year, Colombia’s Human Rights Ombudsman reported that 409 children were recruited by rebel groups, double the number from the year before. The UN also recorded 216 cases of forced recruitment of minors.

The problem is especially bad in Cauca, a province in southwest Colombia. After the main rebel group, the FARC, signed a peace deal in 2016, new groups moved in to take control. Now they are using social media to attract new members.

Campbell says that even when accounts are removed, new ones appear. He wants social media companies to work more closely with Colombian authorities and share information about who is posting this content. “It’s not easy,” he said, “because we have to protect free speech, but we also need to stop content that is clearly dangerous and harmful.”

The UN hopes that with more effort from companies like Meta and TikTok, this harmful recruitment can be stopped, and young people in Colombia can be protected.

This growing concern about illicit groups using social media to recruit underage individuals is likely to make entities like Thumzup Media Corp. (NASDAQ: TZUP) increasingly strict regarding their know-your-customer practices in order to avoid getting entangled in situations that can cause reputational harm to the brand.

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