How, when, and where people get their drugs has changed with the proliferation of smartphone technology and social media apps. Dealers can now find, follow, solicit, and sell drugs before making face-to-face contact with their buyers. Emojis are often used to buy and sell counterfeit pills and other substances on social media and e-commerce platforms. Geo-tracking technology and encrypted messaging apps make it easier for dealers to connect with patrons and evade detection.

Drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and using social media and e-commerce platforms to effectively market them as legitimate prescription drugs. They market on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube, using code words, emojis, and temporary ads to avoid detection by both law enforcement and the safety filters built into the social media platforms (1).