... both more aware of the potential dangers behind social media, fewer kids will fall victim … Sex trafficking occurs when someone uses force, fraud or coercion to cause a commercial sex act with an adult or causes a minor to commit a commercial sex act. Sex traffickers use social media to lure victims February 6, 2019 By Kevin Weiss As the use and popularity of social media continue to grow — particularly among youths — they also are a go-to forum for human sex traffickers to lure potential victims. How human traffickers are recruiting in a digital age. Traffickers use social media against victims when they isolate them from their support systems by restricting or heavily monitoring social media use. Your personal data isn’t the only thing that’s vulnerable on Facebook. Social media is designed to connect people, but it also makes it easier for predators to connect with their next victim.

Traffickers know these children have needs that are not being met and use this to their advantage.

Traffickers also use social media to impersonate victims, spread damaging rumors, distribute intimate images, or stalk a victim’s account activity even after they have left the trafficker. Social media is designed to connect people, but it also makes it easier for predators to connect with their next victim. Pimps use social media to find and groom ... every 16-year-old-girl" in the city had been approached by traffickers. “Social media is what I call the hunting ground for traffickers,” stated Kathy McGibbon, a sex trafficking survivor who now uses her experience to help others. Often they will create a seemingly loving relationship with their victims to establish trust and then use more violent tactics to maintain control so that victims feel trapped and powerless. Sex traffickers are using social media to target children. Traffickers use social media to target victims. Social media is designed to connect people, but it also makes it easier for predators to connect with their next victim. Traffickers also use social media to impersonate victims, spread damaging rumors, distribute intimate images, or stalk a victim’s account activity even after they have left the trafficker. It can in schools, at the mall, or anywhere. Traffickers are using the Internet as a way to target unsuspecting and vulnerable youth for their own personal financial gain as targets are seen as none other than a dollar sign. ST. LOUIS – Law enforcement is warning parents about predators searching for children on popular social media applications. Another challenge – traffickers use social media to stalk targeted minor victims or by impersonating someone using a profile of someone the intended victim might trust.
Traffickers use social media to target victims ... but it also makes it easier for predators to connect with their next victim. Social media has been used by traffickers to recruit victims, to proliferate their trafficking operations, and to control victims through restricting their social media access, impersonating the victim, or spreading lies and rumors online. Some traffickers recruit victims through illegitimate job offers for models, nannies, or dancers.