The University of Cincinnati announced on May 12 that a new study has examined TikTok videos produced by gang members, providing insights into how gang culture is represented and interpreted online.
The research analyzed 397 public TikTok videos linked to Latino gangs in Chicago, focusing on the types of content shared, their reach, perceived authenticity, and how these digital performances affect understanding of offline identities. The findings are intended to help practitioners and policymakers interpret online gang-related material more accurately.
John Leverso, assistant professor in the UC School of Criminal Justice and lead author of the study published in Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal, said three main genres were identified: “place-based memorials that document gang geography; traditional ‘gangbanging’ performances that assert identity and provoke rivals; and role-playing simulations of gang life in Grand Theft Auto V.” Leverso said these results provide important context for those encountering such content online. “This context may help with correct interpretation of what’s happening and designing appropriate responses, instead of overreacting or ignoring what young people post and consume. More broadly, this study suggests that digital environments do not merely reflect gang culture, but also they help it continue,” he said.
Leverso noted a shift from his earlier work with Facebook data to studying short-form platforms like TikTok. He said: “What we see is both continuity and change. Familiar repertoires are still there, but authenticity is negotiated differently, and insider–outsider boundaries blur in ways that complicate simple content-level interpretations.”
Co-authors include Chris Hess from Kennesaw State University; James Densley from Metropolitan State University; and Kristonn Stubbs from the University of Cincinnati.
The full research study is available online.