Businesses today are grappling with a complex challenge: how to effectively combat human trafficking and exploitation on their platforms and in their supply chains while still respecting user privacy. It’s a delicate balancing act, but one that more and more companies are taking on as they recognize the critical role they can play in this fight.
Recent high-profile cases, such as JP Morgan’s $290 million payout and Days Inn’s $29 million settlement, have underscored the severe consequences companies face when they fail to address human trafficking risks adequately.
Many businesses operate under the false assumption that their industry is immune to human trafficking risks. The reality is that there are more than 30 industries that are vulnerable to being used by human traffickers. The reality is that no sector is entirely safe from the potential implications of this heinous crime. Human trafficking litigation spans various industries, implicating businesses that may unwittingly facilitate trafficking activities through their operations or supply chains.
At Dark Watch, our mission is to eradicate human trafficking by making it impossible for traffickers to use commercial entities to conduct their illicit business. Dark Watch is a risk intelligence platform that helps businesses identify trafficking threats; it’s every company, everwhere, that is at risk.
One key strategy is proactive monitoring and risk assessment. By analyzing transactional data and account activity, businesses can flag potential signs of trafficking without needing to dive deep into private user information. Dark Watch’s platform, for example, combines global corporate and human trafficking data, organized network intelligence and complex risk-scoring models to identify illicit actors threatening your business.
This type of high-level monitoring allows businesses to spot concerning patterns and take action swiftly, such as blocking accounts or transactions, without compromising individual privacy. Critically, the focus is on identifying likely trafficker behavior, not investigating victims.
Companies are also leveraging secure APIs to enable risk scoring of transactions in real-time — again, without directly accessing sensitive user data. When a transaction is attempted, select data points can be anonymously compared against trafficking risk models to determine the likelihood of illicit activity and trigger alerts or blocks if needed.
Location-based insights are another powerful, privacy-preserving tool. By mapping out geographical areas known to be trafficking hotspots and cross-referencing that intelligence against their own aggregate (not individual) user location data, businesses can uncover and mitigate location-specific risks.
Employee training is also essential. Businesses need to train their Trust and Safety team to identify the risk signals. When staff at all levels know the red flags to watch for, they’re better equipped to spot and report issues without overstepping privacy boundaries.
Some businesses are going a step further and benchmarking their anti-trafficking efforts against others in their industry, using anonymized data to gauge their progress and identify areas for improvement. Dark Watch’s benchmarking tools enable businesses to see how they score against industry-specific data.
At the end of the day, effectively fighting human trafficking as a business requires a multilayered approach that thoughtfully leverages data, technology, policies and people. No single tactic is a silver bullet but, when combined, they create a powerful net that protects the most vulnerable while still preserving the privacy of all.
The reality is that traffickers will continue to exploit legitimate business platforms and services for their illicit ends. Companies cannot afford to ignore the risks. The solution is with smart, ethical data use, clear protocols and a commitment to stopping human trafficking.
Encouragingly, a growing number of businesses are stepping up to the plate. By putting tools and policies in place to prevent trafficking — and continuously assessing their efficacy — companies can be a formidable force in the global fight to end exploitation.
Dark Watch co-founder Noel Thomas stands as a visionary leader, driven by an unwavering dedication to eradicating the scourge of human trafficking through pioneering technological solutions. With a multifaceted background deeply entrenched in identifying organized crime, orchestrating law enforcement coordination and advancing technological innovation, Thomas emerges as an entrepreneur poised to rewrite history in the fight against exploitation.
As a Whitaker-published author, Thomas extends the reach of his mission through his book, “Dark Traffic,” offering profound insights into the clandestine world of organized crime and advocating for tangible solutions and hope.
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