Page 60 - FMR64_Trafficking and smuggling & Climate crisis and local communities_2020_web

FMR 64
60 Trafficking and smuggling
www.fmreview.org/issue64 June 2020

Tackling exploitation through ‘technology for freedom’

Christa Foster Crawford and Ashley Kafton
Examples from Southeast Asia show both the promise and the pitfalls of emerging
technologies and platforms that are being used to tackle forms of exploitation.
Factors that make migrants vulnerable to forced labour is no longer hidden in the
exploitation – while on the move or at their supply chain, companies are incentivised
place of destination – include displacement to ensure that the entire production process
and insecurity, lack of legal status, insufficient is free of exploitation. Blockchain, which
awareness of rights and potential risks, creates an immutable record of transactions,
and inability to understand the language helps to promote greater transparency and
or how to access help. In Southeast Asia, accountability. It can be used, for instance,
two of the forms of exploitation to which to track a product through the entire
migrants are vulnerable are online child production process to verify that it was not
sexual exploitation and forced labour. made using forced labour, or to document
Online child sexual exploitation involves labour contracts and wage payments. 1
the making of sexually explicit images or However, technology cannot guarantee
videos of children under the age of 18. Unlike exploitation-free products, and may therefore
in-person exploitation, the harm continues so give consumers what may be a false sense of
long as the images exist. Although physical security and shield producers from scrutiny.
movement is not a prerequisite for a crime of First, supply chain accountability may not
this nature to be defined as trafficking, some cover all inputs. For instance, there is current
children have been moved to places where the political will to address exploitation at sea
online exploitation takes place, including to (in the fishing industry) but exploitation in
major hubs in the Philippines and Thailand. the sorting and packing process continues
Others are vulnerable to such exploitation unchecked. Second, the reality is that the
because they are already on the move. complex, inter-related global supply chain
Another form of exploitation takes means that most end products will contain
place in the fishing industry, when people some inputs which have involved exploitation.
who are fleeing harm or lack of economic Developers must ensure that technology
opportunity in their home country are lured accurately tracks constituent inputs and
into forced labour. Job brokers who offer hope fungible goods, and governments and
instead trap people on boats where they can industry must ensure that accountability is
be out at sea for months or years at a time, built into all stages of the production process.
working in inhumane conditions for long Prevention efforts must also address the
hours with little or no pay. Those who try to supply side. Chatbots like Facebook’s Miss
escape are punished and sometimes killed. Migration, and apps that can be accessed
2
Technology companies, NGOs and through mobile phones and devices as well
governments are harnessing the power of as through online platforms, help prevent
technology to prevent and prosecute these harm by educating migrants about their
and other forms of harm. However, although rights and providing resources for safer
these emerging technologies promise migration, access to ethical job brokers, and
freedom for many, in the wrong hands they warnings about unscrupulous job brokers
can also be used to facilitate exploitation. and transportation agents. Such tools also
generate data about the users and so inform
Technology for prevention an evidence-based understanding of the
One of the most effective ways of preventing problem and effective responses. However,
exploitation is to reduce demand for products the high cost of devices, lack of access to the
which involve labour exploitation. When internet (due to limitations on infrastructure