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Combat Human Trafficking through Social Media Analysis

Authors:

Vadla Sudheer, Adapa Karthik, Challa Vivek, Doodi Chadrashaker, Vennapureddy Nithin

Abstract—Human trafficking is a global pandemic, with online platforms becoming more and more the target of illicit activities. Through this research, we seek to examine the convergence of social media use and human trafficking, employing cutting-edge analytical methods in order to discern patterns, networks, and weaknesses in trafficking operations. Through the use of data mining and social network analysis, we can discover how traffickers use social media to recruit victims, post services, and avoid law enforcement. The study uses a mixed-methods strategy, integrating quantitative content analysis of social media with qualitative findings through stakeholder interviews with law enforcement agencies, NGOs, and survivors. Sources of data include public postings, advertisements, and user-generated content across leading social media platforms, enabling thorough examination of trafficking-related narratives. Results confirm notable correlations between online activities and instances of trafficking, pointing to certain platforms and channels preferred by traffickers. The research also points out notable signs of potential trafficking activity in social media interactions, providing key information for designing preventive interventions. By recognizing the cyber history of human trafficking, we suggest focused interventions such as increased surveillance measures, social campaigns, and collaboration between social networking websites and advocacy groups. Not only does this study illuminate the use of social networking in enabling human trafficking, it also indicates the potential for using such media as an instrument of awareness and prevention. Last but not least, this research is intended to contribute to the crafting of strategic models through social media analytics in combating human trafficking, promote collaboration between stakeholders, and empower communities to identify and respond to suspected human trafficking cases appropriately. Through this new strategy, we underscore the imperative of a concerted effort against the challenges presented by human trafficking in the age of the internet.

Keywords—Human trafficking, Data mining, Surveillance measures, Social Media Analytics, Social Network Analysis.