Image source: CNN

BY LAUREN DELANEY

You're watching multisource global video news analysis from Newsy.

One side is fighting a war on drugs. The other -- a war on social media.

A man and a woman were found hanged in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, for allegedly posting anti-drug cartel statements on social networking sites.


Fox News says drug cartels will use these deaths to send a message.


“Essentially they’re saying look, you guys, you contrary team, you competitors, you enemy, this is what can happen to you.”

According to New America Media, drug cartels are starting to realize the threat of social media.

“The drug cartels recognize that, in addition to battling the Mexican Army, they are now battling the tens of millions of Mexican citizens with Facebook and Twitter accounts.”


The Hollywood Reporter says the drug cartels are changing the role of the media in Mexico.

“Mexican cartels ... have already forced mainstream news organizations to scale down coverage of drug-related violence...”


So without much mainstream coverage and social media under seige -- CNN points out information comes with a price. Here’s what one of the notes left by the bodies said:

“This is going to happen to all of those posting funny things on the Internet. You better expletive pay attention. I’m about to get you.”


Still - Catholic Online says the cartels’ threat doesn’t seem to be scaring social media users away from posting information online.

“Fortunately, social media users have been defiant in their response. Various social media sites such as Twitter boomed with the news and many posted defiant tweets. Many social media users emphasized that their online identities were anonymous and that the cartels could not identify users personally.”