Date:  

 
Subject:​ Technology used to Combat Human Trafficking 
 
Source: 

Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking of Persons. ​HUMAN 

TRAFFICKING AND TECHNOLOGY: TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES​. 
July 2019, 
icat.network/sites/default/files/publications/documents/Human%20trafficking%20an
d%20technology%20trends%20challenges%20and%20opportunities%20WEB....pdf. 

Abstract: 

Both the surface web and the dark web are utilised by traffickers to recruit and sell 
victims of human trafficking. This report explores how traffickers are using social 
engineering and technology to perform their trade. It looks at advances in fighting 
cybercrime, both legal and illegal and makes recommendations towards an increase of 
fighting human trafficking in cyberspace./ 

Assessment: 

Human trafficking is a heinous crime against humanity that is devastating the lives
of an estimated 45.8 million people in the world today. Many understand that modern day
slavery was removed from our world last century with the abolitionist efforts of William
Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln and the many that stood by their sides. However, human
trafficking still lives amongst us and is growing at an alarming rate. In fact, there are more
people in slavery today than at the time we thought human trafficking left us, all thanks to
the every-growing change in technology. The rise of the internet, as well as other
technology are enabling traffickers to operate their crime with increased ease in today’s
world. This is a very serious issue that I want to help combat, which is why I chose this as
my sub-topic to focus on in the field of cybersecurity. Reading the article ​HUMAN
TRAFFICKING AND TECHNOLOGY: TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, ​really
helped me gain insight on the different technologies used to solve these issues.
This article defines “trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation,
transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other
forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position
of vulnerability.” I found that human trafficking is a criminal activity that is often highly
organised in nature, often crossing national borders and legislative reach. Traffickers
operate this lucrative business, making use of the latest technology available to hide their
criminal activity with little fear of being caught. The advances in technology are fast
providing them with more places to hide. I had known about the dangers of this business
being mixed with technology, but it wasn’t till reading this article did I realize the extent to
which this is happening. What struck me as interesting was how the technology being used
in this issue isn’t some sort of fancy malware, but rather, everyday things that regular
people use on a daily. One example would be the internet; it has not only provided fast
access to information for our world but has also provided faster and more efficient ways
for organised crime to operate. This article states that groups like Facebook, Twitter and
WhatsApp are the “command-and-control networks of choice for terrorists and criminals.”
My question is that why can’t these companies that run the social media or internet
platform do anything to block out these groups from doing illegal business on their
platforms?
Another key factor in solving this issue is the Dark Web. What disturbs me a lot is
how the Dark Web can be used for selling and recruiting. It pains to know that there are
people out there willingly joining this business. Using a survey from Thorn, a NGO set up by
Aston Kutcher and Demi Moore to drive tech innovation to fight child trafficking and the
sexual exploitation of children, This article states that in a group of sexual exploitation
victims interviewed to find out the role of technology in trafficking, 73% of the survey
participants reported being sold online. The process by which they get sold online is very
layered. The dark web near guarantees anonymity to its users through the use of
multi-layered encryption technology called onion encryption. As the name suggests, access
to onion encrypted websites (with the domain .onion) are passed through layers like an
onion. At each layer the user’s IP address, the identifying address of a computer, is
encrypted and passed to another volunteer server and hence the next layer. As the
destination website only receives the last IP address in the route process, the website
never actually knows who they are communicating with. The article mentions that there
are also readily available web search engines, such as Tor and Hidden Wiki, in which any
regular person can access on their computer. What I don’t get is that, if we already know
that these search engines exist, why can’t we get rid of it? In short, if we can get rid of this
anonymity encryption and search engines, we would be able to eradicate human trafficking
and catch these criminals much faster.
As frightening as this article was to read, I’m glad it gave me more insight on the
issue so that I can understand the extent of it. I’ve understood how the daily internet and
encrypted internet such as the Dark Web plays a big part in this issue, and through my
research and discussions with mentors, I would like to dive deeper into this issue. Between
the surface-level and the deep antics of this issue, I hope that I can do everything in my
power to solve this problem.