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Guest post: Big Tech should stop livestreamed child abuse
Big Tech needs to step up to stop livestreamed child abuse. A guest article emphasizes the urgent need to exert legislative pressure.
Guest post: Big Tech should stop livestreamed child abuse
EDITOR’S NOTE: Samson Inocencio Jr. is National Director of the International Justice Mission (IJM) in the Philippines and Regional Vice President of IJM’s OSEC Hub, working against online child sexual exploitation (OSEC). The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
Today, World Day Against Human Trafficking, I carry two truths within me: deep despair and great hope. After more than two decades fighting human trafficking in the Philippines, I have witnessed both the unimaginable harm inflicted on children extraordinary progress that were made to stop this.
Alarming developments in human trafficking
At the moment at alarming levels Sex offenders from around the world are conspiring online with human traffickers in countries like the Philippines and pay to livestream child sexual abuse in real time. As part of the International Justice Mission (IJM), I lead a team in the Philippines dedicated to protecting children from this horrific form of human trafficking, in which young victims are sold to produce child pornographic material (CSAM), particularly in live videos.
Success stories in combating human trafficking
Despite this frightening reality, I remain hopeful as we have seen incredible success in our partnership with the Philippine government in the fight against this crime. Since 2011, Philippine police have rescued over 1,470 victims (and vulnerable individuals), arrested over 430 human traffickers, and convicted over 265 perpetrators in IJM-supported cases. In 2016, the US State Department recognized this progress and upgraded the Philippines to Tier 1 in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report - the first country in Southeast Asia to achieve this highest ranking, which is also in the most recent 2024 report was retained. The message is clear: when justice systems are well-resourced and accountable, they can stop human trafficking.
Technology companies responsible
Despite these advances and the continued commitment of governments, this particular form of technology-enabled human trafficking continues unabated, devastating communities in the Philippines and worldwide. It has become clear to me that we cannot rely solely on the efforts of individual governments or bilateral partnerships to adequately combat the wave of violence against children online; that is simply not enough.
“Tech companies play a critical role in protecting victims and vulnerable people from exploitation through the use of their online platforms and must be part of the solution in the fight against human trafficking,” according to the 2024 TIP report. With many of the largest and most influential technology companies based in the US, the US Congress must pass legislation to properly incentivize this critical sector to become part of the solution to this epidemic.
Urgent action required
The United States, home to numerous sex offenders who fuel demand for this crime - as well as the online platforms, payment processors and money transfer services that unintentionally enable it - must finally take action. This need comes at an opportune time for US politicians who are increasingly addressing the crisis of online child exploitation have an eye on.
It's time for the US Congress to do this STOP CSAM law (H.R.3921 and S.1829) passed. Momentum for this legislation is growing during a hearing in March before the Senate Judiciary Committee discussed and on June 12th unanimously 22-0 was advanced. If passed, this law would allow victims to take legal action against online platforms that promote or support their exploitation - a crucial step in protecting children from online sexual abuse and exploitation.
Strengthening reporting requirements
The STOP CSAM law would also improve the quality of reports provided by online platforms to the CyberTipline from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, requiring platforms to report specific details about child sexual exploitation. Online platforms are already obliged to prevent this form of human trafficking under the REPORT Act to report, which was passed by Congress and took effect in May 2024. The STOP CSAM Act strengthens existing reporting requirements and emphasizes the need to include certain data points in CyberTipline reports that could help identify or locate a child who may be being actively exploited, including user information, location data, and details about the content, as well as whether that content has been previously viewed.
Combating online child sexual exploitation is a moral obligation – and this should be supported by stronger legislative action in the US.
The work is hard and long, marked by moments of deep exhaustion and despair, but hope still prevails. I experienced a glimpse of this enduring hope when I was appointed by the US State Department Hero of the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report — the highest honor given by the U.S. government for leadership in the fight against human trafficking worldwide. As I look back over the last two decades of this work, I have undoubtedly witnessed the darkest side of humanity. Yet my team and I have also experienced a deep generosity and care from those working against this crime – and we are nourished by our experience that change is possible.