"Colombia gangs lure children to join ranks via TikTok and Facebook, UN warns", June 27, 2025

Gangs in Colombia are increasingly recruiting children into their ranks, with a notable number coerced over TikTok and Facebook, the United Nations has warned.

The UN Human Rights Office in Colombia said it had verified 474 cases of recruitment or use of under-18s between 2022 and 2024, and that the situation was “worsening in 2025”. In 36 cases children were recruited at school, while recruitment through social networking platforms was of “grave concern”, it said.

“It’s horrific, toxic and ugly. Illegal groups are using social media to lure girls and boys into their ranks, which is increasing violence across the country and strengthening narco-trafficking,” said Scott Campbell, Colombia’s representative for the UN high commissioner for human rights.

Elizabeth Dickinson, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, said the first contact often comes over social media, with TikTok rife with videos posted by armed groups “depicting the perks” of the lifestyle. Posts showed “parties in clubs, designer clothes and heavy weapons”, she added.

Campbell said the children are promised motorbikes, mobile phones and money, with girls also offered cosmetic surgery.

Investigators from the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) said such content spread rapidly, with some posts receiving up to 625,000 views.

Campbell criticised social media companies for failing to properly tackle the problem. “If children were being recruited into illegal groups in London or Silicon Valley, social media companies would be putting huge resources into this,” he said.

TikTok and Meta told UN Human Rights they were working with state entities on the issue and removing harmful content and accounts that violate community guidelines.

A Meta spokesperson added that it banned dangerous organizations tied to terrorism and criminal organizations, and worked with law enforcement globally to combat them.

The crisis was only worsening, UN Human Rights said, highlighting that in the first quarter of 2025 it had received 118 allegations of recruitment or use of children, of which it verified 51.

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The findings come amid an increase in violence across Colombia. In January, clashes between armed groups fighting for control of a region bordering Venezuela led to the displacement of more than 50,000 people, while in June a wave of coordinated bomb and gun attacks killed at least seven people and wounded 50 across the country’s south-west.

Campbell said child recruitment appeared to be rising as presidential elections approach next year.

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