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Technology & Human Trafficking
online social networks, and mobile phones. Digital and networked technologies alter the flow of information between people and thus impact social interactions, practices, and behavior. For example, online technologies allow users to communicate instantly with other individuals and potentially large audiences over vast distances and across geographic boundaries. An increasing amount of our social life is mediated by computers and digital networks—from the mundane aspects of everyday life to the most pressing social issues of our time. In this respect, networked technologies can influence and change social behavior. At the same time, social practices can shape how technologies are used, often in unintended ways. Technology-facilitated trafficking refers to the social and technical ecosystem wherein individuals use information and communication technologies to engage in human trafficking and related behaviors. Digital and networked technologies impact visibility, coordination, transaction, exchange, and organization. These technologies therefore can impact various aspects of trafficking, from grooming, recruitment, and control of victims, to advertising, movement, and financial transactions. An understanding of how technology is facilitating trafficking is a crucial component for counter-trafficking efforts in the 21st century. A Note on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking and Related Terms This report primarily focuses on the sex trafficking of minors in the United States. Under the TVPA, persons under 18 cannot legally consent to commercial sex acts, and thus are automatically identified as victims of sex trafficking. This report expressly focuses on sex trafficking of minors, or youth under 18 years old. We recognize, however, that discussions about sex trafficking generally open up various debates about the legal, social, and moral aspects of
prostitution in society. We do not intend to conflate the sex trafficking of minors and adults with consensual adult prostitution, nor do we aim to collapse these distinct socio-legal phenomena. The terms “prostitution” and “sex work” conjure varied opinions, including the view that adult women, men, and transgender individuals may choose to engage in sex work. This view contrasts to the perspective that prostitution is exploitative and demonstrative of underlying gender inequalities. For some, the terms “pimp,” “exploiter,” “john,” and “client” are similarly contested in light of the roles and relationships of supply and demand involved in commercial sex or sexual exploitation. The contested and highly nuanced debates surrounding prostitution and sex trafficking and the language deployed to describe individuals’ experiences of choice, circumstance, and coercion are critically important, yet far too complex to be given adequate treatment in this report. We therefore limit our focus and use the terms domestic minor sex trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), and sex trafficking of youth under 18 interchangeably. We also recognize the importance of research on labor trafficking; however, few studies to date have comprehensively explored how technology contributes to forced labor practices. Because of limited data on labor trafficking and technology, and the more widespread attention and therefore higher visibility of sex trafficking across digital networks, this report will focus primarily on technology-facilitated DMST. A clear knowledge gap exists in evidence-based research that examines the nexus of technology, labor trafficking, and forced labor practices, and we encourage further research in this area.