Online Drug Markets as a Visual Space

The visual aspect of illegal drug markets is especially important when researching online platforms used for selling and buying drugs. As in any part of society, the digitalizationDigitalization of drug markets means increased communication through various platforms designed for image- and/or text-based interaction. Adding a visual perspective therefore allows for a deeper understanding of the cultural dynamics and social practices of the field of interest. In this chapter, I present three ways to conduct visual analysis of the digital communication in illegal drug markets, namely how to (1) use a visual perspective to understand market structure, (2) code images in detail to analyze trust and seller self-presentation, and (3) use an interdisciplinary approach to widen the understanding of the online market space.