Human trafficking is a global pandemic that continues to exist in the digital age. With so much information at our fingertips, you might expect a digital world to be a safer place. However, the ease with which people can now share information has only made human traffickers more brazen about their activities, while also making it easier for victims to be hidden from view. Using technology to combat human trafficking is an innovative and effective way of reducing this terrible practice. From the use of apps that identify potential victims to AI-powered video recognition services, many tech solutions are helping to stop human traffickers before they can hurt another person. This article highlights how technology may be able to stop human trafficking.
AI-Based Video Analytics
One of the most promising fields for technology-based solutions to human trafficking is video analytics. AI technology can use image recognition to identify people and objects, which can provide crucial insights into trafficking operations. For example, traffickers often use fake IDs with false information to secure fraudulent documents, so AI-based systems can be used to identify these fakes. Another example could be looking for signs of sexual exploitation in videos, such as a car pulling up outside a hotel at nighttime with men loitering nearby. Further, AI-based video analytics can be used to track the source and movement of stolen goods, which are often used in sex trafficking.
Blockchain-Based Identification Services
Blockchain-based identification services can be used to verify identities and ascertain whether the person in front of you is who they say they are. This can play a crucial role in the fight against human trafficking since traffickers often recruit victims with false promises or fraudulent information. With blockchain-based identification services, organizations can quickly verify the identities of people who seek help and ascertain their credibility. This could be used to ensure that people are who they say they are when they seek assistance from law enforcement.
Digital Advertising and Marketing Solutions
Advertising is a key component of any business, but human traffickers have since co-opted these digital spaces for their nefarious purposes. By using automated software to detect and remove illicit advertising and marketing, organizations can help stop traffickers from using these channels. In the same way that Google and Facebook use automated systems to detect fake news, these organizations can use AI to identify and remove illicit content. This can be applied to other digital marketing platforms, such as display advertising, video ads, and social media posts. AI tools can help to remove illicit content and prevent traffickers from reaching potential victims.
Automated Recognition Software
AI-based image recognition can be used to identify images of child sexual abuse and other forms of child exploitation. This can help to reduce the backlog of images that law enforcement agencies have to manually review and could play a crucial role in the fight against online child sexual abuse. A similar approach can be used to identify images of human trafficking. By leveraging AI-based image recognition, law enforcement officers can quickly identify potential victims of human trafficking through their digital images.
Can Technology Stop Human Trafficking?
Technology can play a significant role in the fight against human trafficking. From apps that identify potential victims to AI-powered video recognition services, many tech solutions are helping to stop human traffickers before they can hurt another person. While these technologies can’t stop human trafficking on their own, they can make it easier for law enforcement officers to identify victims, track traffickers, and ultimately bring them to justice.