Written by Stella Roberts

Introduction

Jane is a survivor. Her mother finding her body for sale online ultimately led to an intense search and a grown man pleading guilty to sex trafficking a minor. Jane is a survivor. The truth is, this 15 year old girl is sadly not alone (Hall). With today’s advanced technology, social media provides easy access to act as a gateway for traffickers. Many people around the globe fall victim to the sneaky tactics traffickers use, especially children, leading to a need for education and use of safety precautions on social media for people of all ages. Humans are being sold like items, and the power of social media vastly increases the amount of victims. The result: a fundamental need for education and awareness. 

Current Issues

The Different Types of Human Trafficking 

The first of the four types of human trafficking to look into is called forced labor. The U.S. Department of State defines forced labor as something that “can encompass a wide range of activities, including recruiting, harboring, or obtaining people through force, coercion, or other deceptive means, for the purpose of compelling them to work” (qtd. In Terwilliger 6). Forced labor is a large concern globally, and is a brutal attack on a variety of humans around the world. Age, gender, race and religion usually don’t play a role in how traffickers target victims, but some groups are more vulnerable than others. People in poverty, immigrants, children, and the disabled are examples of some of these groups. Workers are sometimes hired by force, or once hired, they realize their work conditions are unsafe, but are not allowed to leave the premises.  This branch of human trafficking harms victims not only physically, but also mentally. Many times, the victims are made to lure in and traffic other people, leading to extreme guilt and psychological side effects. 

The second type of human trafficking to discuss is debt bondage. The DOS describes this as “The act of workers borrowing large sums of money to cover the costs of their recruitment and transportation fees to be placed in jobs” (Terwilliger 4). Victims who fall into debt bondage typically do not realize this may lead to them being trafficked through their whole lives, eventually passing down through generations. People fall victim to debt bondage by accepting a job offered by a trafficker, and begin working below minimum wage. Once employed, the trafficker begins adding debt for things like food and shelter. At that point, the debt begins to grow and eventually becomes unattainable for the victim to pay off. Many traffickers will continue to add debt for things such as transportation and legal documentation, and will have victims bring family members in as employees to help pay off the growing sum. The debt eventually becomes impossible to pay off, creating a vicious cycle for families.

The third sector of human trafficking to examine is organ trafficking. According to Seán Columb, “The organ trade involves practices of trafficking in people for the removal of their organs, the commercial sales of organs, the forcible removal of organs, and traveling across state borders to purchase organs” (Terwilliger 8). Many people globally fall victim to this as a result of the organ shortage around the world. Generally, victims are people of extreme poverty who fall into this dangerous sector of organized crime. Oftentimes, hospital workers, ambulance staff, and more gain profit from this (UN.GIFT 2). Organ trafficking can happen to willing and unwilling victims. Willing victims will be promised a certain amount of money and after-care, but usually never get paid the promised amount and aren’t offered any help with medical bills or care stemming from their surgery. Unwilling victims can be kidnapped and sometimes murdered to force an organ removal. With the problem being a global issue, and having so many people involved in the process, organ trafficking has proven to be a difficult crime to stop by many countries.

The final branch of human trafficking to cover is sexual exploitation. According to John Winterdyk, “Sex trafficking can be defined as the recruitment or movement of an individual within or across borders through an abuse of power with the intention of forced sexual exploitation” (Terwilliger 9). This form of trafficking is considered modern-day slavery and is a large health and safety concern globally. False promises of a better life or a steady job lure victims into situations that lead to entrapment by a trafficker. Sometimes, victims are kidnapped directly from the street or a business, then taken to a different city and held completely against their will. Victims are often abused, used as objects, and can be sold for sex multiple times a day. Traffickers will also force victims to take illegal drugs to keep them subdued, making it harder for them to escape. If a victim is able to escape, they often suffer lifelong mental trauma, diseases, addiction to drugs, and many other negative effects.

Tactics

Traffickers use several types of tactics via social media to lure their victims. One tactic they may use through social media is the use of false promises or saying they can fulfill the victim’s needs. The Exodus Road portrays the tactic of fulfilling a false promise by saying, “The needs might be emotional: romantic connection, familial love, belonging, acceptance. The needs also might be practical: work, food, shelter. Traffickers promise to meet those needs in order to exert control and create dependence” (Exodus). Many traffickers find a way to get into the victim’s heads using social media sites to build up their trust. So, they may give the traffickers ample amounts of personal information during private chats or videos, which is then used to lure the victim in. In return, that information is then used against them as leverage to force the victim into some sort of human trafficking. The false promises made by traffickers can lead to any of the four types of human trafficking.

Another tactic often utilized by traffickers is the use of threats. The Europol Operations Directorate states, “Social media is also used as a psychological weapon, with traffickers threatening to upload compromising pictures of their victims if the latter fail to comply with their demands” (Europol Operations Directorate 2). “Sextortion” is a term now used by the FBI to describe one kind of threat victims face. Many victims may begin sharing explicit images with a trafficker, which in turn will be used against them. The traffickers may threaten the victims by telling them if they do not send more compromising images, they will upload the images they do have to the internet, or even to send them to their parents/families (Withers). They can also scare victims into doing what they want by threatening bodily harm against the victim’s family. Victims will be intimidated and manipulated into believing their family members are in danger of being physically harmed or murdered. 

The last tactic to discuss is the use of grooming through social media. Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center states, “The adult may try to secure their trust with fake profile pictures, by pretending to share similar interests, by offering gifts to the child, or by complimenting the child. Once an online relationship has been established, the groomer will often steer the conversation towards sex” (Kraut). Traffickers groom victims over social media very frequently. They may try to start a close friendship or bond based on the information the victim shares with them. Things such as hobbies, interests, compliments, and more. They might also offer to buy them a gift to draw them in. The main purpose of grooming by a predator is to manipulate the victim so they feel they have no one else to turn to in their life. They will feel confused to the point of being willing to do whatever the trafficker demands. This may result in the victim agreeing to meet the trafficker in person, which in turn leads to the victim being trafficked.

Traffickers Cultivating False Personas On Social Media to Seduce Users

One way traffickers use to seduce victims through a false persona is via Snapchat. Social Media Victims states, “Susan McLean, a former member of law enforcement and cyber safety expert, told Australia’s The Examiner, ‘Good kids from good households who have involved parents can still be groomed online. If the predator starts a conversation, it is psychological grooming. The child may say something like “I fought with my mum last night,” and immediately that is an in’” (Bergman). Traffickers will pretend to be around the same age as the victim, act extremely empathetic to the victim’s situation, and/or play into the victim’s emotional needs. Many people, especially children, easily fall for this scam. By using Snapchat, for example, traffickers are able to gain pictures and information without anyone knowing. This can easily lead to a victim oversharing with the wrong person, and having their images used against them for the gain of the trafficker. 

A second way false personas are used by traffickers is through fake modeling contract advertisements placed on multiple social media sites. According to the United States Attorney's Office, “After seeing photos of the first victim on social media, Terry contacted the woman, telling her she could come to Los Angeles to work as a model and event host. After the woman arrived in late April 2014, Terry used force, threats of force, fraud, and/or coercion to cause the victim to engage in commercial sex acts with four clients over approximately four days until Los Angeles Police officers rescued her” (Mrozek). The use of fake advertisements for a modeling contract can easily draw someone in as a way to make money. Once a victim arrives at the given address, traffickers are able to then utilize these victims for more than regular modeling pictures. They will take explicit photos, possibly abuse them, and then sell them into things such as sex work. Social media allows for an easy gateway into this sector of trafficking because the advertisements can be seen by anyone on the internet, especially those with profiles on popular websites.

The last area of the internet that allows for false personas and easy seduction into trafficking are through Facebook and Instagram. Defend Young Minds says, “The circle of Bruce’s friend list reached the globe and his over 2k followers were nothing more than a smorgasbord of young unaware children these men were chatting with” (Defend Young Minds Staff). This story shows an array of older men who entrapped children through Instagram. Because Facebook and Instagram are so popular and easily available, these men, and other traffickers alike, can easily create one big system to lure children in and scam them in many ways. They will create multiple profiles on both sites and make each profile unique to be attractive to whatever group of people they are trying to target. Facebook and Instagram are easy gateways into trafficking by things such as images and messages because they aren’t heavily monitored by website security.

History of Issue

History of Trafficking, Social Media, and the Correlation Between the Two

To portray the beginning of human trafficking, humans must rewind far into the past. “That means, it is the legacy of the colonialists and the imperialist nations. As such, human trafficking is the end product of agricultural slavery, which saw the birth of the scourge and it lasted until the end of the nineteenth century. Similarly, Chapdelaine (2015) cited the historical development of human trafficking is traced to the transatlantic dealing in slavery, servitude and slave trade” (Human Trafficking for the Removal). This information allows people to understand that human trafficking can be traced all the way back to colonization. Despite all of the laws put in place over the centuries to banish slavery/human trafficking, it remains a vast problem all over the world today.

The rise of social media began in the early 2000’s. All types of social media have grown and advanced significantly. Our World In Data states, “Most social media platforms that survived the last decade have shifted significantly in what they offer users. Twitter, for example, didn’t allow users to upload videos or images initially. Since 2011 this has been possible, and today, more than 50% of the content viewed on Twitter includes images and videos,” (Ortiz-Ospina ). This source uses the platform Twitter just as one example to demonstrate the progression of social media. Images, specifically, are a common theme when examining the link between social media and trafficking. Other links include private chats, false job postings, and fake personal profiles by traffickers.

It took many years for people to recognize how social media and human trafficking began to correlate. Gabriela Landron of University of Central Florida wrote about this issue. The paper states, “In the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, technology was not mentioned in trafficking articles. Technology was however mentioned in 20% of the articles examined during the 2010 and 2020 decades,” (Landron 14). The advancement of technology is able to line up with this pattern to demonstrate how social media has been a newer resource for traffickers. In only 10 years roughly, technology was a prevalent topic within trafficking articles.

How has Social Media Affected the Growth of Human Trafficking

The amount of power that social media holds is massive. Mark Laterno of USC shares, “A June 2011 Congressional Research Service report on domestic minor sex trafficking found that the Internet has facilitated the demand for child sex trafficking because it ‘can rapidly connect buyers of commercial sex with trafficking victims while simultaneously distancing the perpetrator from the criminal transactions’” (Latonero 15). This specific example expands on the idea that social media has the power to easily “connect” traffickers with victims. Social media and its development has only helped the trafficking network as it expands. 

Exploring the underground/hidden business of trafficking that is behind social media is intense. Mark Laterno of USC also shares, “Because human trafficking is a crime recognized by international protocols and state laws, traffickers are traditionally forced to conduct their activities underground. But this report illustrates that online transactions leave behind traces of user activity, providing a rare window into criminal behavior, techniques, and patterns” (Latonero 3). This explains the direct effect of social media on trafficking, and how the criminals see this as a mere tool. Behind the front of the trafficking scheme on social media, is the dark business behind it.

The main group targeted by traffickers by way of social media tends to be minors, or people under the age of 18 years old. Jarrod Sadulski from American Military University says, “Throughout the world, 4.3 billion people use social media, which are especially popular among children. For example, 5.7 million under the age of 11 have Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat accounts'' (Sadulski). As shown by the statistics, traffickers mainly target children through social media. Many minors have access to social media this day in age, and they may be under an active attack. Children tend to be easier to manipulate and scare by these criminals. Their maturity levels are low, but their level of trust can be dangerously high.

Perspectives

To explain the viewpoint of a law enforcement officer, Fox 2 Now of Missouri interviewed several professionals in this field about social media and trafficking. Sergeant Adam Kavanaugh says, “We’ve had girls that lived in small towns in Missouri and just wanted to get out away from that one-horse town and have some fun for an evening, and they meet somebody online, they say, ‘Yeah come up here, we’ll party, we’ll have a good time,’ and then within 12-24 hours, unfortunately, they wind up getting trafficked,” (Kormann). From the perspective of someone in law enforcement, the issue of social media on trafficking is pressing and an extreme concern. Many law enforcement departments have groups of officers dedicated solely to the investigation of and apprehension of human traffickers; they also help find and rescue victims.

The story of a protected minor named “Ava” represents how distraught the danger of social media can cause parents to become as well. The story was covered by 10 Boston and author Kathy Curran states, “Her mom was brought to tears, knowing her daughter felt so helpless that she ‘just wanted to die’ (Curran). This young girl who was only 15 was taken by a trafficker, drugged, and sexually assaulted as a result of meeting this man on social media. Her mother, with the idea that she would come home, soon began to panic and went to police for help (Curran). Her mother also states ‘She had bruises around her neck and her inner thighs, she was drugged and she recalls getting raped’” (Curran). Not only are victims in serious danger and a state of confusion, but the families are also harmed and left without answers when their loved ones are being trafficked. The lifelong effects of trafficking on families as a whole runs deep and lasts a lifetime.

The story of Jose speaks volumes when helping people picture what these victims experience. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children spoke to and told the story of Jose Alfaro, who found himself homeless as a sixteen year old. “On a social networking site, Jose met a man who seemed nice, Jason Daniel Gandy, who said he was a wealthy entrepreneur with a nine-bedroom mansion in Austin, Texas. He had plenty of room, he said, and Jose jumped at his offer to stay in his home. But Gandy, in his early 30s, was really a child sex trafficker, and he’d just found his next victim” (Davis). Jose was never reported missing by his family, so no one was looking for him. He was forced to become a sex worker in exchange for a place to live. This story portrays the amount of manipulation and confusion these victims go through. Victims are taken through a very vulnerable journey, which in turn can severely damage their mental and physical health.

Analysis and Evaluation

As previously exemplified, multitudes of people all over the world can fall victim to trafficking through social media. With that being said, one group in particular is at risk: children. Survive and Thrive Advocacy states, “Traffickers lure children into sex trafficking via social media recruitment even if children do not have high-risk factors. Potential traffickers may like, comment, ask to be friends and gather the information to recruit and groom youth” (STAC). Demonstrating the ways that traffickers may attempt to draw these children in, it is clear they are in danger. These people may use grooming tactics, which to a child, could be very attractive. 

The exponential growth of social media users is a global concern when honing in on human trafficking. Dave Chaffey from Smart Insights states, “More than half of the world now uses social media (62.3%). 5.04 billion people around the world now use social media and 266 million new users have come online within the last year” (Chaffey). Looking at the evidence, the growth in social media users over time and the amount of current users is very large. The current world population is approximately 8.04 billion people (Census), meaning that over half the world currently has social media in some form. This makes the trafficking market even more dangerous by expanding the amount of potential victims waiting to be taken advantage of. 

The topic of age restrictions within social media is a controversial topic for many. When exploring the idea of adding these restrictions, the potential for increased safety is often admired by parents/guardians. Joe Loudon from COMBAT states, “The San Diego (California) District Attorney’s office conducted a recent study that revealed about 60% of teens received an e-mail or instant message from a stranger, and half those teens responded to these messages. About one in five teenagers were sexually solicited online by a stranger” (Loudon). Starting to restrict young children from social media has the potential to build a solid foundation to keep minors safe, yet disciplined. 

There are a multitude of safety precautions that can be taken to keep not only children, but everyone safe on the internet. The United Nations on Drugs and Crime writes, “If your social media accounts are public, then anyone can see your photos, posts, and other information. Traffickers have used this information to reach out to and recruit victims. Consider setting your accounts to ‘private’ and turn off location sharing on posts” (UNODC). Many small actions, such as creating a private account with no added location sharing can protect people by keeping their own private information to themselves. Users can also set all of their social media accounts to a private setting and only allow people they know and have relation with to follow them. These simple restrictions can also help to ensure certain people, such as potential traffickers, can not message or track someone. Most of the social media sites have simple steps to take to not allow strangers to message a person. This adds an entirely new level of security with just a few clicks on a website. 

Conclusion

The intense growth of social media, resulting in a similar growth of power, allows for easy access to vulnerable people who fall into human trafficking. Through many platforms and by utilizing a variety of strategies, traffickers can easily access a large amount of people around the world. Trafficking can be placed into four main categories; forced labor, debt bondage, organ trafficking, and sexual exploitation. Each of these holds their own dangers and social media plays a large role in the success of each category. Social media has evolved immensely, as well as human trafficking. The correlation between social media and trafficking has conclusively led to countless victims being harmed. Although trafficking can affect anyone, children especially are in extreme danger. Human trafficking of all types is a serious threat and everyone who has social media should be aware of the possibilities out there. Protecting yourself and encouraging safety for those around you can help slow down human trafficking and break the relentless cycle. Being willing to share online safety measures with friends and family can also be helpful. Adults making the necessary adjustments to children’s social media accounts, or not allowing them to have the accounts at all, can help protect kids. The media can continue to help by keeping trafficking stories and statistics in the news and on the minds of readers/viewers. The world as a whole must keep a vigilant eye out for one another.

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