TikTok profiles show rifles and gangs in livestreams with thousands of viewers in Rio
A g1 report points to broadcasts by suspects, displays of weapons and drugs, and accounts used to sell cloned cars.
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
TikTok profiles have been used to promote criminal organizations in Rio de Janeiro, according to a g1 report. The pages show young people flaunting jewelry, weapons and drugs, and there are livestreams run by suspects.
On Saturday (31), g1 followed a livestream with nearly 12,000 viewers. The profile owner said he belonged to the Terceiro Comando, displayed a rifle, talked about weaponry and declared he kills members of the rival faction, the Comando Vermelho.
The Auto Theft and Robbery Precinct identified 21 accounts on the platform used as a storefront for the illegal sale of cloned cars in the state. On Sunday night (1st), a user on X showed banknotes he said were counterfeit; the account was removed a few hours later. According to g1, the pages defy authorities and reference the world of crime in the state.
In a statement, TikTok said it prohibits the glorification of crime and said it proactively removed 99.4% of content on violent behavior in the second quarter of 2026.