Introduction:

Recognizing this alarming trend, the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking in Florida has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the role that social media platforms play in aiding, supporting, and facilitating human trafficking within the state. The results of this survey, particularly concerning Meta platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger, have raised significant concerns and prompted a call for action.

The Council's survey of Florida law enforcement agencies revealed a disturbing reality: a significant number of reported instances of social media involvement in human trafficking were attributed to Meta platforms. Out of 271 reported instances since 2019, Meta platforms were implicated in 146 cases, accounting for over 53% of the incidents. By comparison, the next highest platform used for human trafficking was Snapchat, which accounted for less than 19% of the reported instances.

The 2022 Federal Human Trafficking Report corroborates the Council's findings, identifying Facebook as the top platform used for recruiting human trafficking victims from 2019 to 2022. The combined usage of Facebook and Instagram accounted for 60% of the top ten platforms involved in such recruitment efforts. These statistics underscore the urgent need for proactive measures to address the issue and ensure that these platforms are not inadvertently facilitating human trafficking activities.

In addition to facilitating human trafficking, major social media platforms have reported alarming increases in incidents of suspected child sexual abuse materials and child sex trafficking. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's 2022 CyberTipline Reports, approximately 85% of the reported incidents involving child exploitation were linked to Meta platforms, amounting to more than 27 million cases. These figures highlight the urgent need for heightened vigilance and preventive measures to protect vulnerable children from exploitation.

As the Chair of the Council and Florida's Attorney General extended an invitation to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, to address the Council on the issue of social media platforms' role in human trafficking. This invitation serves as an opportunity for Meta to discuss and present the actions the company is taking to prevent its platforms from being exploited for the purpose of human trafficking.

The Council's upcoming meeting on October 2, 2023, provides an ideal forum for engaging in a constructive dialogue about combating human trafficking through social media platforms.

The disturbing prevalence of human trafficking facilitated by social media platforms, particularly Meta's platforms, necessitates urgent action. Collaborative efforts between regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, and social media companies are essential to mitigating the risks and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation.