  This paper describes how people living in armed conflict environments use
social media as a participatory news platform, in lieu of damaged state and
media apparatuses. We investigate this by analyzing the microblogging practices
of Mexican citizens whose everyday life is affected by the Drug War. We provide
a descriptive analysis of the phenomenon, combining content and quantitative
Twitter data analyses. We focus on three interrelated phenomena: general
participation patterns of ordinary citizens, the emergence and role of
information curators, and the tension between governmental regulation and drug
cartel intimidation. This study reveals the complex tensions among citizens,
media actors, and the government in light of large scale organized crime.
