Why we cannot identify human trafficking from online advertisements

Giommoni, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3127-654X 2024. Why we cannot identify human trafficking from online advertisements. Journal of Human Trafficking 10.1080/23322705.2024.2435198

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Abstract

Numerous studies have attempted to identify instances of human trafficking through online sex advertisements. In this paper, I critically examine why these studies fall short of their claims, highlighting a paucity of empirical evidence to back their assertions. I identify seven issues in this research area: overstated objectives, a lack of evidence concerning the accuracy of human annotators and trafficking indicators, subjective interpretation of these indicators, an assumption of the veracity of ads as true representations of sex workers, a tendency to conflate human trafficking with sex work, and an oversimplified understanding of the experiences of human trafficking victims. While offering potential solutions to these problems, the paper ultimately concludes that it remains unlikely for research to detect victims of human trafficking based solely on online ads.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	2332-2705
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	5 December 2024
Date of Acceptance:	25 December 2024
Last Modified:	13 Dec 2024 11:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/174515

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