Arts+Culture / VideoWatch how people are buying their drugs on InstaBased on the IG account archiving dealer’s texts, this film explores how young people are swiping and hashtagging to scoreShareLink copied ✔️April 15, 2016Arts+CultureVideoText Anna Cafolla The way we’re scoring gear is evolving: we’re bored of skulking the smoking area, desperately awaiting the dulcet, husky mumblings of “Charlie, Charlie”. And we’re really over spending three hours in an alley beside Co-Op, anticipating the awkward handshake/baggy pass when Jay Green finally shows up with something that resembles a slab of concrete. Now, people are buying their drugs on Instagram, Twitter and even Tinder, according to a recent report by the Guardian. It’s what’s essentially the biggest up shake for those selling and procuring drugs since Nokia’s inclusion of two SIM holders for all your trap phone needs. i_shotta is a film by Dan Emmerson that’s charting this modern phenomenon. Making use of actual texts archived on the Instagram account @shotta_texts_ldn, Emmerson traces the evolution of our service culture, that’s allowing dealers to be “visible in a hidden space”. Dealers are now able to build an online brand to sell their goods and provide home deliveries, preferable to hanging outside the kebab shops on Kingsland Road in the early hours to pull new clients. “People are crafty,” observes Emmerson. “I'm sure that every app that comes out in the next few years is going to be rinsed by drug dealers. There are still new accounts popping up daily, so it doesn't seem to be slowing down.” “It's jokes that Tinder and Grindr is being used too. Someone told me they knew some guys that used Uber in some way.” Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.TrendingThe internet wants women to stop acting like ‘birds’On TikTok, the word has become shorthand for being male-centred, prompting women to share their dating horror stories and unlearn their ‘bird’ behaviour before summertimeLife & CultureArts+CultureHow Prince almost ended up in The Fifth ElementOnFashionHow On and Loewe are shaping the future of footwear MusicThe 5 best songs from Drake’s new albums (plural) Film & TV7 sex worker-approved films about sex workFashionWhy is Americana everywhere right now?FashionThis subculture archive is fashion’s best kept secretBeauty10 of the hottest Instagram accounts fusing art, sex and eroticaBeautyNude awakening: Meet the young people embracing naturismEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy