How Drug Cartels Took Over Social Media

In 2005, Edgar Valdez, "La Barbie," transformed his cartel's image by posting explicit online content, turning them into cultural icons through social media like TikTok and Instagram. Now flaunting their influence on high-speed boat chases and cottagecore content, the cartels have become both legitimate and dangerous, even parodying shows like *Breaking Bad*. Yet this success hinders efforts to track them down, while local outlets struggle to keep up with their rapid diversification without facing backlash for unreported crimes. This paradox underscores how their very success could eventually backfire.