Keeping it real: A signaling theory perspective on authentic claims of gang membership made on social media.

This article examines how Chicago Latino gang members use social media to signal authenticity and negotiate gang identity online, applying signaling theory as a theoretical framework. Analyzing 2,849 gang-related posts and over 31,000 comments from a public Facebook page, the study identifies a continuum of signals ranging from easily falsifiable claims of gang membership to hard-to-fake insider knowledge that demonstrates genuine affiliation. Key factors influencing perceived authenticity include the signaler's commenting behavior, gender, and geographic location, while common street symbols like firearms often lose credibility online. The research highlights how digital interactions involve strategic communication within a context-collapsed environment, where gang members actively police symbolic boundaries to distinguish real members from impostors, contributing to a deeper understanding of gang dynamics in the digital age.