Colombia gangs lure children to join ranks via TikTok, UN warns

Armed groups post videos of weapons, cars and parties to social media to depict ‘perks’ of lifestyle, say experts

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.