The study of doping market: How to produce intelligence from Internet forums

Abstract

Despite the predominant role played by Internet in the distribution of doping substances, little is currently known about the online offer of doping products. Therefore, the study focuses on the detection of doping substances and suppliers discussed in Internet forums. It aims at having a comprehensive understanding of products and sellers to lead an operational monitoring of the online doping market. Thirteen community forums on the Internet were investigated and one million topics were extracted with source code scrappers. Then, a semantic analysis was conducted with a semi-automatic process to classify the relevant words according to doping matters. Additionally, the ranking of doping products, active substances and suppliers in regards to the number of contributors to the forums were established and analyzed over time. Finally, promotion methods of suppliers were evaluated. The results show that anabolic androgenic steroids, used to enhance body image and performance, are the most discussed type of products. A temporal analysis illustrates the stability of the most popular products as well as the emergence of new products such as peptides (e.g. CJC-1295). 327 suppliers were detected, mostly with dedicated websites or direct sales by e-mail as selling methods. Globally, the implemented methodology shows its ability to detect products and suppliers as well as to follow their temporal trends. The intelligence will serve the definition of online monitoring strategies (e.g. the selection of appropriate keywords). Additionally, it also allows the adjustment of customs inspection strategies and anti-doping analysis by monitoring the popular and emerging substances.

Digital transformations and the viability of forensic science laboratories: Crisis-opportunity through decentralisation

“…Many research and operational projects already illustrate the concept. They are linked to areas as diverse as high volume crimes (Rossy et al 2013), illicit markets (illicit drugs, counterfeit materials) and false ID documents (Baechler et al 2015), as well as internet and computer-related crimes (Pineau et al 2016) .…”

Internet traces and the analysis of online illicit markets

“…The sustained analysis of review convergence settings may feed qualitative research (Van Hout and Hearne 2017) and the reconstruction of social networks of actors involved in online illicit markets (Décary-Hétu and Laferrière 2015). Review sites can also feed intelligence-led screening strategies to detect new online illicit markets (Pineau et al 2016).…”

“…Another promising integration between Internet and physical traces is the comparison of online selling and review settings with the analysis of wastewater. On the one hand, identifying the most discussed substances in online forums (see, for instance, Pineau et al 2016)…”

Bodybuilding and Fitness Doping in Transition. Historical Transformations and Contemporary Challenges

“…Although recognised in research, the worldwide trade in, and use of, doping substances, in general and in contrast to the continual refinement of anti-doping organisations and work, has continued to increase over time (Antonopoulos and Hall 2016). Furthermore, despite the predominant role played by the Internet concerning the distribution of PIEDs, little is known about the online availability and global distribution of doping products in contemporary societies (Pineau et al 2016).…”