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The Virtualisa-on of the Marginal
Does moving online make illegal drug access more comfortable?
A study of drug purchasing on the Silk Road (v1.0)
Alexia Maddox, Na-onal Drug Research Ins-tute, Cur-n University MaKhew Allen, School of Communica-on and Crea-ve Arts, Deakin University
Monica BarraK, Na-onal Drug Research Ins-tute, Cur-n University Simon Lenton, Na-onal Drug Research Ins-tute, Cur-n University
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Overview
• What is Silk Road and what is our research ques-on(s)? • Method: unstructured IM interviewing using OTR and life history diagram.
• Ethics: dealing with upheavals in the dynamic environment of the Darknet.
• Recruitment: Research credibility and where to place the call for par-cipants?
• Data collec-on: 6 interviews conducted, 20-‐25 intended.
• Closing thoughts and research leads
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What is Silk Road? • Online drug market place operated from February, 2011 to 1 Oct, 2013. June 2011 Gawker ar-cle thrust into limelight*.
• Operated ‘outside of legal jurisdic-ons’ through the Darknet and was one of several such marketplaces.
• Works like ebay**, with a recommenda-on system.
• The environment is socially regulated and has community discussion forums that are ac-ve and cohesive.
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What is Silk Road?
• Es-mated sales revenue of 9.5 million bitcoins (approx USD1.2 billion).
• The tech founder, DPR, has been arrested but vendors and customers have moved to other market places and the SR v1.0 moderators are sebng up a new Silk Road (v2.0).
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The research ques+on How does online purchasing of drugs in an unregulated environment (choice-‐driven) affect the rela-onship between drug purchase and consump-on?
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• Encrypted online interviewing. • Instant messaging using Jabber. • Dealing with anonymity. • Does it gather valid data? • Member checks • Building trust and using humour • Use of -meline for connec-ons between events
OTR interview
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Life history diagram
• Annota-ng trajectories of drug use, purchase, silk road access, life -meline, online purchasing prac-ces and internet use.
• Used to assist inves-ga-ng connec-ons in par-cipant experiences during the unstructured interview.
• Helps when the narra-ve is not inherently chronological and events and experiences are not reported within the tech or personal contexts.
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Ethics
• Designing research for the dynamic environment of the Darknet.
• Ethics approval gained. • Pilot interviews launched. • Silk Road v1.0 was taken down with the arrest of DPR on 1October 2013.
• Ethics amendments and recruitment launch. • Focus of research beyond Silk Road.
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Recruitment
• Establishing research credibility amongst a suspicious research popula-on who wants to get their message out.
• Being visible and findable while your popula-on remains anonymous.
• Establish(ing) an interac-ve self in the environment.
• Figuring out where to recruit (Why did we seKled on reddit).
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Closing reflec-ons
• Preliminary impression: Yes, anonymous purchasing in a choice-‐based, online environment is preferred.
• For par-cipants it is felt to: – be less risky than street purchase; – decrease drug-‐related violence; and – augment social supply.
• Opera-ng in the Darknet requires tech and research skills and is not likely to appeal to most.
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Closing reflec-ons
• Purchasing in this environment appears to be linked to an ini-al increase in drug use.
• But does not appear to lead to further personal harm when seen in context of life trajectory and changes in focus.
• Harm reduc-on appears to occur through: – Gaining experience in drug use; – learning life-‐lessons and changes in focus; and – drawing on ac-ve online community discussion and support surrounding drug use.
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Possible research leads
• Self-‐direc-on: par-cipants are ac-ng autonomously or in peer groups.
• Mis-‐direc-on: through Tor & iden-ty concealment and strategies for receiving illicit drugs in the post*.
• Test kits and community-‐driven purity tests of vendors, for example the ‘LSD Avengers’**.
• Par-cipants show a libertarian approach to informa-on and drugs.
• Ideas I am hearing: ‘We live in a surveillance state, trust no one, be anonymous and ‘do no harm’.
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Acknowledgements • The par-cipants have given generously of their -me and experience. This research would not be possible without them. We are grateful to them.
• We are grateful to the moderators and readers of the Silk Road subreddit for allowing us to post and engaging with our call for par-cipa-on.
• The long term researcher presence and community engagement of Monica BarraK has made this research credible with this popula-on.
• This research is funded internally by NDRI, Cur-n University.