Running head: ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING 1

Role of Technology in Human Trafficking

Nafisa Chowdhury

International Criminal Justice 310 Section 3

Professor L. Dillon

December 30, 2019

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Abstract

Human trafficking is a vast criminal organization that has gained prominence across

the globe. In as much as it comes under a disguised form, masterminds find a suitable base

upon which they propagate their ideologies in the form of selling human labor or body for

monetary gains. To this effect, what actually promote this form of business? In this research,

we will focus on technology and how it promotes human trafficking. Thus, there are several

aspects of technology that have been cited to be behind the rise in human trafficking in

society. Certain theoretical constructs of demand, economy, and theory of rational choices

will be adopted to explain how this business is operated. Ideally, this research will rely on a

qualitative exploratory method. This method will be administered via semi-structured

interviews to a sample size of 100 human traffickers.

Keywords: ​Human Trafficking, Business, Technology, Social media, Sex

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Role of Technology in Human Trafficking

Human trafficking and modern-day slavery are umbrella terms. They are often used

interchangeably and refer to the exploitation of individuals through threat or use of force,

coercion, abduction, fraud, and/or deception. “Human trafficking and human smuggling are

also often used interchangeably. Though the two terms are often used interchangeably,

human trafficking is not human smuggling. Human trafficking is the recruiting, transporting,

harboring, or receiving of a person through force in order to exploit him or her for

prostitution, forced labor, or slavery. Human smuggling, on the other hand, is the

transportation of an individual from one destination to another, usually with his or her

consent—for example, across a border.” (Bobby J, 2017). Both of this contributes a

multi-billion dollar worldwide criminal industry. Trafficking of humans is a harsh reality of

the twenty-first-century’s international landscape, as it applies to both developed and

developing nations. While conventional channels of trafficking are still in place, online

technologies offer perpetrators the unprecedented capability of advertising their services

across geographic borders which lead to a huge number of casualties. However, the degree to

which technologies are employed in human trafficking is ambiguous, and the existing

strategy to the issue is absent. While online confidential sites like Craigslist have already

been under intense inspection for being employed by traffickers, the insufficient study is

available on the position of social networking and online confidential sites in human

trafficking. The problem has yet to be entirely investigated.

Networked technologies, like social media, handsets, and the Internet, change the

flow of communication between people. There is little uncertainty that technology has an

increasing role to play in limiting the practices involving human trafficking. These include
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the illegal trade of individuals for forced labor, commercial sexual exploitation, as well as

other forms of contemporary slavery.

Although various forms of technology might be efficient in the setting of prevention,

prosecution or study of crime and protection of victims, these processes unavoidably raise

considerable concerns specifically regarding privacy and protection of data (Gerry,

Muraszkiewicz, & Vavoula, 2016). However, there is insufficient information concerning

the benefits and costs of the role of technology. The paper comprehensively analyzes the role

played by technology in human trafficking by incorporating the findings from various

researchers regarding human trafficking.

Literature Review

Sarkar (2015) mentions that it is not known whether there are more victims of human

trafficking because of technology. The author also affirms that it is also not known whether

law enforcement can recognize traffickers better because of the traces that are left behind.

However, the article asserts that one thing that is clear is that technology makes several

human trafficking aspects more noticeable and more visible. Concentrating on whether

technology is bad or good misses the point. The writer highlights that technology is here to

stay and it is essential that people comprehend the role being played by technology. More

significantly, the author recommends developing ground-breaking ways of employing

technology in addressing the terrors of human trafficking.

To date, examiners have pointed out that there is an insufficient empirical study into

the role played by technology in the trafficking of humans. Because of this, new policies and

interventions are being driven by extrapolation, speculation, and intuition from highly

publicized cases. There is no uncertainty that every form of human trafficking and

contemporary slavery are horrifying (Gerry, Muraszkiewicz, & Vavoula, 2016). However, if
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people want to assist victims of human trafficking, they should understand that this is a

complicated matter and work to comprehend how the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

Stalans and Finn (2016), posit that the utilization of Internet technologies in the daily

lives of people has dramatically risen in the latest years. According to the author, in 2010 the

global number of Internet users surpassed an approximated two billion individuals. Hundreds

of millions of people utilize social networking sites and roughly half of all online American

adults have utilized online secret advertising sites. Contrary to several social advantages that

Internet technologies offer, a darker description has also developed. Gerry, Muraszkiewicz,

and Vavoula (2016) affirm that online classified and social networks sites are being utilized

by traffickers to hire, exploit, market, and sell victims.

Most of these sites are naturally explicit and some are secret. However, proof from

legal instances shows that mainstream sites like Myspace, Back page, and Craigslist have

already been employed for trafficking. Twitter, Facebook, as well as other social networking

sites, are vulnerable to comparable uses. Gerry, Muraszkiewicz, & Vavoula (2016) also point

out that since trafficking of humans is a crime identified by state laws and global protocols,

perpetrators are conventionally compelled to carry out their actions underground.

Nevertheless, the article demonstrates that online dealings leave behind user activity traces,

offering an unusual window into patterns, conducts, and techniques of criminals. Each online

communication between perpetrators and their casualties show potentially functional details

for anti-trafficking detectives.

Hughes (2004) also avers that technology has been used in recruiting victims. The

article mentions that the association between the employment of victims and technology takes

different forms. One is that casualties may be a victim to perpetrators through websites and

other services on the Internet and the second is that the Internet may be used to trade victims
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or their services marketed to customers through the Internet. The third form is that victims

hired in conventional ways may be compelled to contract customers online. The article

highlights that there appears to be some proof that traffickers utilize the Internet to employ

women into trafficking circumstances. Advertisements and chat rooms are the two leading

methods employed by traffickers to recruit these victims.

The kinds of sites employed by traffickers for the employment of victims are marriage

agencies sites, dating clubs, escort sites, and different sites for offering jobs (Hughes, 2004).

These sites include home aid, modeling, bar tending/waitresses, and entertainment industries.

In another article by Dubrawski, Miller, Barnes, and Kennedy (2015), technology can be

utilized for the aims of exploitation, specifically sexual cases. This can be either by people of

their own confidential use or by prearranged criminal gangs or other bodies. They use the

Internet as a trade tool to universal profit by selling services or images. For example,

newsgroups, which are sites for information exchange, can be misused to locate children and

women for the aim of misuse. They can also be used for uploading and downloading

unlawful pornography.

Another type of online technology is bulletin boards and web messages. Here,

information exchange can be misused by sexual traffickers; it is akin to newsgroups but can

be confidential and password protected. Websites can also be exploited as sites for

pornography distribution, maintained recreational or for commercial purposes. In chat

rooms, real-time communication can be exploited by predators to abuse kids or hire potential

victims. Here, there are no stored or archived messages, and no log files are preserved.

Furthermore, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is exploited to exchange child pornography

because it is an efficient way for file exchange. Search engines, which are strong cyberspace

indexes, can be exploited by perpetrators to locate unlawful content.

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Females who may be victims of trafficking and sexual misuse have seen to be

advertised on websites across the Internet. The web is progressively featuring pornographic

sites or sites that advertise sexual services. Specific images contained there may never have

been wished-for by their subjects for such aims. The international trend appears to be a rise

in the number of pornographic materials that appear online. Loannou and Oostinga (2014)

aver that there have been cases where trafficked females have been employed for the aim of

generating online pornographic content. Often, these instances emphasize the effortlessness

with which technology can be utilized to go beyond state boundaries.

Law enforcement officials mention that traffickers employ technology due to its

simplicity. A trader no formal training can easily employ several features of a smartphone

like tracking of GPS or applications that lock a handset remotely. Traffickers are also

capable of evading detection by law enforcement using apps and features on a Smartphone.

For instance, a service contract on a mobile phone is not important if a Wi-Fi connection is

present. Evading a handset service contract makes it harder for police to trace users, their

identities and phone calls. However, some investigators have argued that technology can also

be used as a solution to fight against human trafficking. Technology can be employed in

investigating trafficking. This can be done through the cooperation of law enforcement

through technology.

Developing technologies continually transform the human trafficking landscape for

humanitarian groups and sexual exploitation (Loannou and Oostinga, 2014). Traditional

detective and police work are not enough to combat traffickers who use technology like

bitcoins and Smartphones. In the United States courts, documents demonstrate that federal

agents used Apple for assistance to decrypt iPhone 4S of a Kentucky person who was
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charged with distributing crack cocaine. Apple has gotten several demands by the police to

decrypt detained iPhones, which it has established a waiting list to deal with the demands.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and law enforcement agencies should

examine huge amounts of data collected from hotlines, to monitor the continually

transforming actions of criminals who willingly adjust to new approaches and use new tools

to get a profit. Cell phone apps offer mechanisms to promote public involvement like

anonymous reporting. For example, NetHope established an anti-trafficking Android app for

international use that offers various functions in collaboration with the Vodafone Foundation,

World Vision, and USAID (the U.S. Agency for International Development). The app has

features such as hotline direct dial, services database and trafficking report. Dryden and Witt

(2001) affirm that to efficiently fight human trafficking of human for sexual misuse,

perpetrators and victims must be identifiable. Thus, the role of technology in this setting is

particularly beneficial to law enforcement because it alters visibility, changes the process of

identification and offers new opportunities in different functions.

Theoretical Framework

Many researchers and theorists have attempted to study and explain the causes of

human trafficking. However, the issue of human trafficking is so complex and sensitive that

no one theory can fully explain the roots of such behavior. For this paper, three theories will

be explored to provide a deductive approach on reasons why this particular criminal behavior

occurs: rational choice theory, the theory of demand, and economic theory

The Theory of Rational Choice

Rational choice theory explains that people make permeate from the goals they have

in life. Theories of rational choice hypothesize that perpetrators are sensible people who

make choices to carry out offense according to the benefits and costs comprised in the
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process of committing the crime. The process of perpetrator choice making is founded on

free determination, which needs observation of conditions and opportunities that could

impact the successful commission of the organized offense. It is highlighted by Pratt (2008)

that rational making of choices concerning the crime also comprises the decision of the

casualties ascertained by the form of crime, when and where to conduct it and what action to

take afterward. This implies that traffickers may first monitor the convenience to potential

casualties, place, their most vulnerable time, and the relevant approach that could offer ease

entry. They could also observe how to defend their criminal actions from law enforcement

officials and other competent guardians.

The Theory of Demand

Theory of demand can be defined as the principle relating the demands for goods and

services based on their prices. The demand for sex workers can be categorized into three

classifications; buyers or exploiters of sex, beneficiaries from the sex trade, and socio-cultural

perceptions towards sex. The reasons behind owning or buying sex workers and portraying

sex amenities in the way in which authors do may lead to human trade of young girls and

women for compulsory sex work. Sex buyers, cultural perceptions related to prostitution, and

aggression towards females are three aspects recognized to clarify the growing demand for

sex workers. It is presumed from these aspects that a specific classification of users of sex

workers do not essentially divide enslaved prostitutes from deliberate sex workers. However,

they could be more interested in getting sexual pleasures from sex employees.

Economic Theory

Economic theory is employed to elucidate conducts, actions, and crimes, which

calculate the benefits and gains accumulated from taking part in a specific mission. The

economic theory of offense proposes that individuals make choices to cause offense in
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customs that are similar to their choices made concerning other non-illegal actions. The

offender might conduct a crime if the anticipated gains from the lawful job are less compared

to the ones that originate from an unlawful job. The fundamental standard of the economic

hypothesis is that offenders engage in offense because they have observed the gains from the

offense to overshadow the chance of being impeached and incurring expenses.

Research objectives

Formulation of research questions is one way of realizing the intended objectives of

this research. As reiterated before, this research seeks to determine how technology is

fundamental in advancing human trafficking across the world. Thus, giving accurate

responses to the questions below would lead to fulfilling the research objectives.

What form of technology have traffickers used in advancing their business?

What level of efficiency do they gain by using technology over the conventional methods to

this business?

Research Method

As reiterated in the literature review, human trafficking is a highly secretive business

that thrives amidst the existence of human networks. Ideally, technology will become a

game changer in this business since most traffickers will advance their motives secretly.

Thus, the long network of perpetrators sometimes disguises trafficked people as legitimately

coming to work in the country. Such moves would never be advanced without the role of

technology in place, meaning, that technology is such a fundamental aid for this black

business that continues to thrive to the oblivion of the law enforcers.

The research design is a special segment of this proposal, and it directly assesses the

methods that will be used to conduct the research. Efficacy of a research design lies in the

ability to identify the target audience and apply the most appropriate method of research. The
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baseline of this research is anchored on the means that culprits use to advance their trade in

human trafficking. This statement implies that it is important to have the right channel and

avenue of extracting the information from the perceived masterminds of this trade.

This research will use a qualitative exploratory method given that it intends to

investigate an issue whose outcome is not clearly defined. Using an exploratory method will

equally give the privilege to investigate the issue to more depth and gain meaningful

response. This method will be used to answer questions why human trafficking still thrives

despite efforts to curtail its spread.

The following qualitative data that we seek to collect, will focus on interviewing

human traffickers outside of an incarcerated setting and within their lived in environment in

the United States. Access to human traffickers will be made available through the use of a

lead contact (Social worker from an NGO) of the researcher. In addition, the researcher will

also contact police officers who have first-hand knowledge about traffickers and cases of

human trafficking for additional safety instruction. This individual will help facilitate a

snowball-sampling framework to meet with participants and schedule interviews. All

traffickers will be interviewed separately and independently of one another. In addition, it

should be noted that each participant chooses the date, location, and time of their interview.

All interviews will occur in the chosen location during off-hours and will vary in length from

a little under an hour to well over three hours. Research participants will be informed of the

identity of the interviewers.

A semi-structured interview is the most preferred approach considering that it will

give the researcher an opportunity to navigate through the interview, and ask questions that

are not necessarily documented in the interview questionnaire (Doody & Noonan, 2013).

The main aim of adopting this method is because of its ability to give a lot of information
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from the target respondents within the available opportunity. Research will be conducted as

face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with one researcher asking questions and one

researcher documenting answers to each question. Due to anonymity and safety issues,

interviews will not be recorded with a tape recorder, and identifying information (legal name,

common name, place of residence, location of work, etc.) will never be requested, discussed,

or collected. A well-trained transcriber and a translator will be assisting the researcher for the

purpose of transcribing and translating. This mechanism will allow the participant the

opportunity to review what was discussed throughout the interview, thus increasing rapport.

All participants will be made aware of the topic human trafficking as well as confirm that

their participation was strictly voluntary and for academic purposes only. The term victim in

this study refers to all form of victims of human trafficking. The goal is to study at least 100

individuals who are believed to be directly involved in human trafficking in order to gain as

much information as possible. These 14 questions that will feature during the data collection

stage include:

1. What mode of communication do you adopt to contact your clients?

2. Do you rely on social media as a means of advising your agency?

3. How do you get to recruit more persons into your agency?

4. Do you have contacts of people in countries where you get your clients?

5. How do you stay in touch with these agents?

6. Was the use of technology beneficial?

7. Did it help to target a vast majority of victims?

8. How did you lure your victims through social media?

9. Have you ever used virtual currency as a form of payment?

10. What made you target that particular victim?

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11. How many cellphones did you use at the time of trafficking and transporting

the victim?

12. Were the sim cards of the cell phone, all under your name?

13. How often do you use social networking sites to target your victims?

14. What social networking sites have you used so far to commit illicit activity?

These questions will form the basis for coding the outcomes of the research. The coding will

be done based on the mode of technology frequently used by human traffickers to advance

their trade.

Below is a short presentation of the data collection plan

Plan Description

What to be recorded Type of technology used

Type of data Discrete

Who to collect data Research team through survey and interview questionnaires

Where From the identified human trafficking culprits

Display of data Pie charts, Tables

Ethical Considerations and Limitations

This research was subject to strict ethical guidelines in order to create a good

understanding between the sampled audience and the research team. The style of exploratory

semi-structured interviews promotes flexibility, comfort, and rapport highlighting many

advantages and disadvantages.

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There are numerous advantages in an exploratory interview approach. First of all,

research on the men who are involved in the business of illegal human trafficking is

extremely rare. Therefore, these interviews will allow for more opportunity for individual

contact between the researcher and the subject. The flexible structure of the interviews

characterized by face-to-face correspondence will promote the opportunity to address any

confusions or questions experienced throughout the duration of the conversation. In addition,

these type of interviews will provide further education and further understanding of a topic

that both parties are genuinely interested in. Considering the nature of this study, the

researcher must provide all relevant information to potential participants of the study: the

purpose of the research, specific procedures, risks, benefits, alternative procedures and

voluntary participation, confidentiality, contact person, and consent. Name and contact

information of the participant will be kept confidential. Ideally, the participants in this

research will signs a consent form, which implied that they were willing to participate in the

research. Finally, they will be given a withdrawal form to signify an end to their

participation. Opinions given by the respondents were to remain the team’s secret, and would

not be used to victimize the respondents. Together, these advantages will lend themselves to

an atmosphere that is always comfortable and mutually beneficial.

As with any research methodology, disadvantages of interviews made possible by a

snowball sampling framework also presented themselves. Prior to conducting the interviews,

the researcher should be aware of the disadvantages of utilizing a snowball sampling

framework for collecting qualitative data. Being dependent upon a main contact as a source

might facilitate limitations to this study. The initial goal of interviewing a high number of

traffickers might not actually transpire due to variety of reasons such as- scheduling,
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participants not reporting to the interview, cultural barrier, some masterminds might not open

up to allow or to an interview. Moreover, there are financial challenges considering that the

team might fall in shortage of have stable funding.

Conclusion

Based on this proposal, it is apparent that technology has aided most traffickers in

advancing their illegal organization all over the world. The literature review that will form

part of the secondary research has pointed out the use of technology as a major driver to this

trade. Ideally, most human traffickers lure their victims with social media adverts and get

hold of them. Some victims are unaware of their masters' tricks, and only come to learn that

they have been duped the moment they have reached their target destination. Social media is

such a vital means that aid in human trafficking across the world. Thus, this research will

rely on the qualitative method approach to validate that indeed traffickers depend on

technology as a major gateway in advancing their business, and in creating more syndicated

networks. The use of primary data, and relying on its outcome will help validate secondary

information about the role of technology in advancing human trafficking.

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