technology for human trafficking & sexual...
TRANSCRIPT
TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING & SEXUAL EXPLOITATION – TRACE PROJECT FINDINGS & RECENT UPDATES
Trilateral Research Ltd.Crown House
72 Hammersmith RoadW14 8TH, London
+ 44 (0)20 7559 3550@Trilateral_UK
TRILATERAL RESEARCH LTD
� Trilateral Research is a leading London-based multidisciplinary research, consulting and technology development company
� Small enterprise (SME) ≈28 staff members
� Involved 20-25 projects at any given time
� Almost all research and technical staff have postdoctoral experience
� (≈90% have PhDs)
� Extensive publication list and excellent international profile
TRACE WEBSITEhttp://trace-project.eu
¡ Funded by the European Commission under the 7th
Framework program
¡ Grant agreement no: 607669
¡ May 2014 – April 2016
Increase knowledge
on perpetrators
Support counter-
trafficking efforts
Info on responding to the criminal enterprise
behind THB
TRACE Handbook
Technology
Current & future trends
WHAT WE DID AND WHY WE DID IT
� Identified and mapped different types of technologies being used to facilitate, prevent & combat human trafficking
� Category 1 – web-based (internet, applications)
� Category 2 – software & hardware
� Assessed the use� Identified trends (current and future)� Provided guidance for the TRACE audience:
� Civil society organisations
� Law enforcement agencies
� Policy makers
� Methodology to produce: 1 x report, briefing papers, handbook
FACILITATION
� Technology facilitated trafficking:� “[…] the social and technical ecosystem wherein individuals use
information and communication technologies to engage in human trafficking and related behaviors.” (Latonero et. al)
� Facilitation of human trafficking for sexual exploitation through:� Recruitment� Exploitation
FACILITATION
Web-based
Adult entertainment
Social networking sites
Advertisements & classifieds
Applications (Instagram, skype)
Web sites (including dark web)online dating sitesonline forums
Peer to peer networks
Hardware & software
Cameras, video, images & other recording devices
Telephone, mobile & landline
Desktop computers, laptops & tablets
Scanners, fax machines
Television programming services
FACILITATION EXAMPLE: X & J
X, y & ors. Charged with human trafficking having sexually exploited minors including J.
Key technologies facilitated recruitment & exploitation:
- Public chat room- Private messenger - Text message- Camera phone: Photographs- Video
FACILITATION EXAMPLE: DARK WEB
Name: NicoleAge: 18 years oldEthnic origin: CaucasianCountry of Origin: United StatesAbducted in: ParisHeld in: EUWeight: 47kgMeasurements: 32A-24-34No STDsNicole’s starting bid is set at 150,000$.Auction set to 19 July 2015.
FINDINGS
� Technology solutions facilitate communication and easy travel, all key ingredients in the business of human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
� Technologies should not be treated in isolation. Rather, it is often a combination of technologies that are used for recruitment and exploitation.
� Social networking sites and key applications (instagram) that enable two-way communication and the sharing of video and image are instrumental in the recruitment and exploitation of trafficked persons.
� However, the extent to which SNS are utilised for technology facilitated trafficking in different member states is not yet known
� Users of SNS disclose a large amount of personal information about themselves and others intentionally & unintentionally, including location tracking. This can disclose the whereabouts of trafficked persons after they have escaped.
� Paramount that individuals are educated about the dangers of making personal information available online.
COMBATTING
� After trafficking and exploitation have occurred and requires action/ enforcement
� Technologies can potentially assist in combatting human trafficking for sexual exploitation:
� Range from online databases to collaborative tools
� Combatting human trafficking and assisting victims = mass of data
� Databases and data analytics – information can be stored, organised and analysedin an efficient and useful manner
� Financial monitoring of business aspects of human trafficking can interrupt flow and disrupt business
COMBATTING
Web-based
Online forums
Crawler tools
Online petitions
Crowdsourcing
Web sites
Adult entertainment
Social networking sites
Hardware & software
Case management tools
Police computerisationsystem and databases
Financial tracking
Geographic information systems
I2 software
COMBATTING - EXAMPLEUNODC case law database
Publicly available repository of summaries & full court cases to support successful convictions
2014 – more than 1000 cases from 83 countries
People can contribute new cases directly by contacting the UNODC
COMBATTINGEXAMPLE: X & J
J’s mother contacted police.
Key technologies used in police investigation and prosecution:
examined J’s mobile phonewire tapping serviceintercepted incriminating emailslocated hard drive – 300 photos of minorsevidence given via video link for court case
FINDINGS
� The use of technology by traffickers leaves a digital footprint, which law enforcement officials should follow. In addition, law enforcement agencies should “follow the money”, and can use technological tools to do this.
� Social media is a useful tool to combat human trafficking. Traffickers may have accounts on social media. Trafficked persons may know about these accounts, especially if they were initially friends with the trafficker or were recruited via social media. By following the traffickers on social media, law enforcement officials can engage in investigative work.
� Data analytics and data visualisation tools help process data to provide meaningful insights on elements of human trafficking such, as demographics of victims, hot spots, networks.
PREVENTION
� Technology-based prevention initiatives target the time period before acts have occurred� Aim to lessen the risk for potential trafficked persons
� Initiatives involve the use of the internet and other web-based technologies to:� Provide education and training activities
� Information and awareness raising campaigns
� Research
� Training of officials
� Potential for technology tools to assist in prevention by:� Exposing
� Monitoring human trafficking
PREVENTION
Web-based
Adult entertainment
Social networking sites
Applications (Instagram, skype)
Web sitesonline petitionsonline forums
Hardware & software
Computer games
Financial tracking
Television programming services
E-learning training programs
PREVENTION EXAMPLE
� Prevention through social media & awareness raising
PREVENTION EXAMPLE: X & J
J & mother + civil society organisation created an online campaignabout the dangers of online grooming.
Website includes:Informative leafletsExplanatory videos (how to recognise grooming)Online forum
FINDINGS
� Technology gives communities social empowerment� Members of the public are able to become involved in prevention through:
� Games
� Forums
� Websites� Petitions
� However, it is uncertain to what extent trafficked persons are aware of technology-based prevention efforts
POST TRACE RESEARCH� TRACE+
� Existing disparities (8 Law Enforcement Agencies interviewed) in the use of technology, including data analytics
� Few initiatives around web crawling
TRACE+ VISIONProvide a data analytics platform that can be taken to market, and a training package, toimprove investigation capabilities and better understand the data, and its value,surrounding the crime of THB. In the long run this will allow the solving of the crime morerapidly, reduce social impact and costs of investigations and enhance the day-to-day workof LEAs in combating human trafficking. Furthermore, TRACE+ will providerecommendations for policy makers on how to harness the benefits of technology infighting human trafficking.
CAN WE USE CROWD KNOWLEDGE SOURCING TO HELP VICTIMS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION?
� In the on-going search for how to solve missing pieces of a crime puzzle and related to this, recognising their own limits, Europol launched a Crowd Knowledge Sourcing website: https://www.europol.europa.eu/stopchildabuse.
�Community Policing example
EUROPOL’S INITIATIVE
No matter how ‘ideal a technical control system may appear in theabstract under ideal laboratory conditions or successful in the shortrun, the world of application is often much messier and morecomplicated than the public relations efforts claim’ – G. Marx
• privacy and ethical implications• unintended consequences• requirement for an active public• Motivation (?)• Momentum (?)
� “Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral.” - Melvin Kranzberg.
� Technology always needs to be justified, controlled and serve a purpose and not be developed for the sake of it.
� Good to undertake a PIA+ (Privacy Impact Assessment with Social and Ethical considerations)
BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER….
CONTACT US
� E-mail: [email protected]@trilateralresearch.com
� Website: http://trilateralresearch.com
� Twitter: @Trilateral_UK
� Phone: +44 (0)207 559 3550� Address: Crown House
72 Hammersmith RoadW14 8TH, London United Kingdom