In Violence-Riddled Mexico, Social Media Is King

By Joshua Philipp
Epoch Times Staff Created: Sep 23, 2010
Last Updated: Sep 23, 2010 .

(photo) MURDERED: Mexican journalists protest against violence toward journalists in Mexico placing on the ground pictures of murdered journalists, on Aug. 7, in Mexico City. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty Images )

Drug trafficking violence in Mexico rose 110 percent between 2007 and 2008, with a death toll reaching 5,600, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS). The death toll nearly doubled in 2009, soaring to 9,635 that year, alone, according to the Heritage Foundation.

Amid the violence, journalists have become a target of both the cartels and corrupt officials. Since 2000, Reporter Without Borders (RSF) has recorded 61 cases of journalists murdered in Mexico, and nine other cases of disappearance since 2003.

An ensuing media blackout and watered-down stories related to drug cartels have caused many Mexican residents to turn to blogs and social media, such as YouTube and Twitter, for their news.

The medium has proven itself as being nearly immune to repercussions, because the authors and contributors can remain anonymous.

The most popular of the ā€œNarco Blogsā€