How social media facilitates human trafficking
Technology has become an unexpected catalyst, driving all aspects of human trafficking worldwide
Modern-day slavery, or human trafficking as it is more widely known, is a crime that affects millions of people worldwide. It is the illegal practice of recruiting and transporting people for exploitation, which may include: labour exploitation, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and more.
In our tech-fuelled world, technology has become an unexpected catalyst, driving all aspects of human trafficking worldwide. Since I started working in the social sector and aiding survivors of human trafficking, I increasingly see more cases where technology is used to groom a potential victim.
There are four main uses of social media involving trafficking. The first is recruitment. All forms of social media provide direct and easy access to potential victims. False promises of employment, education, security or romantic relationships are used to entice victims.
Additionally, the perpetrator grooms victims by building trust and emotional dependency before showing their true intentions. Many a time, in cases of sexual exploitation, the ‘lover boy’ method is used, where the trafficker introduces themselves as a potential romantic partner and tries to get the victim to fall in love with them. Technology makes this easier since the perpetrator can effortlessly gather information about vulnerable potential victims.
One case that occurred in the Maltese islands involved the perpetrator making false claims about how the victim’s life would be different once they set foot in Malta. The victim was promised wealth, love, protection, employment and a life of comfort when the reality could not have been further from the truth since this person ended up as a victim of sexual exploitation.
It is important to educate children about the dangers of interacting with strangers online
The second category is online recruitment agencies asking for thousands of euros as payment to be given a job in Malta, only to be left jobless and lacking documents once they get to the island. These incidents are not isolated but part of a growing pattern where traffickers harness the power of technology to recruit and profit from their victims.
The third category is where social media is used by traffickers to communicate with and control the victims, using messaging apps to send threatening messages so the victim feels they have no choice but to stay in the situation. Apps that track people’s movements are also used to monitor victims and make sure they cannot escape or seek help.
Finally, dark web marketplaces are used to advertise and sell trafficked individuals. Cryptocurrencies further complicate the efforts of tracing these transactions linked to human trafficking since they are decentralised and make use of pseudonyms.
Individuals should exercise caution when interacting with strangers on social media platforms. It's crucial to avoid sharing personal information, such as location, school or employment details with unknown parties. And when it comes to parents, it is important to educate children about the dangers of interacting with strangers online.
Should you need help or know anyone who might be a victim of human trafficking, you can contact Aġenzija Appoġġ on 2295 9000 or call the 24/7 support line on 179.
For additional information, one can also contact the human trafficking team on the Facebook page All Equal: Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking.
Francesca Camilleri is a social welfare professional from Aġenzija Appoġġ within the Foundation for Social Welfare Services.