Social Media and its Impact on Human Trafficking Tianqi Zhao
Human trafficking is a hidden criminal activity that use people for profit. The common means are force, fraud and deception. The traffickers lure the victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They usually utilize people who are susceptible, vulnerable or desperate of various reasons, including financial hardship, unstable homelife, seeking for better life. It is difficult that victims seeking for help due to language barriers, fear or traffickers or law enforcement. According to the report from UN office, the number of detected trafficking victims since 2018 are 49032 cases19.
Human Trafficking is a Global Issue because more than 120 countries have reported and detected19. In North, Central and South America, most trafficking victims are forced into sexual exploitation. Comparing to Africa and Asia, the most common form is forced labor. Sexual exploitation occupies 50% of detected trafficking cases; Forced labor is about 38%; The other forms of exploitation are 12%, such as criminal activity, begging, baby soldier and selling19. Figure 8. Main forms of exploitation and profiles19
People who are vulnerable and therefore easier to be exploited or utilized20. The major factors to people’s vulnerability are their social status and personal level, including their political instability, poverty, gender inequality and so on20. Trafficking occurs to children and adults. In sexual exploitation, 92% of victims are female. In forced labor, 59% are male.19
Targeted People
Figure 9. shares of detected victims in sexual exploitation and forced labor19
Has been used to recruit victims now as a new tool. There are two strategies: “fishing and hunting”19. “Hunting” is the way that pursing a victim on social media, initially as a friendly introduction and them becomes more aggressive as the relationship develops. The trafficker intends to generate a romantic online relationship with the victim, such as flattery, promising, financial assistance23. The relationship will culminate and then eventually exploit profits from the victim. The common apps are Tinder, Soul or Meetme.com. “Fishing” is about posting a fake job advertisement and waiting for the potential victims. Those jobs are usually high-rewarded, stable and long-term, often occurring in fishing industry and transnational construction.
Social Media
Figure 10. Cyber flows19
United Nation as one of the biggest national organization establishes a Solutions and Opinions project called GLO.ACT21 to prevent, suppress and punish human trafficking in four countries: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Iraq and Islamic Republic of Pakistan21. In addition, Polaris22 is organization that using data to reduce and prevent sex and labor trafficking in the US. In my opinion, individual’s power is infinite. We all should participate in against human trafficking because we all know how harmful it is. The company and government should enhance the supervision on social media, especially for teenagers. Using technology that associate with data and AI can maximumly eliminate and reduce the human trafficking and their criminal organization.
Figure 11. Polaris project22
Figure 12. GLO ACT. 21
