"Tackling technology abuse and human trafficking in ASEAN,"

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Despite efforts to combat human trafficking across the region, the rise in online activities during COVID-19 has seen an increase of cases of digital fraud, ranging from romance investment scams to cryptocurrency frauds. With approximately 460 million internet users as of 2022, ASEAN is home to one of the world’s fastest growing digital markets. A lack of digital literacy and low data safety standards has made ASEAN internet users vulnerable to online scams.

Online scam operations have altered the profiles of trafficking victims. While cases have usually involved individuals with limited access to education and who are engaged in low-wage work, victims of online scam operations are now commonly well-educated and computer literate. While various measures have been initiated to promote the licensing of private recruitment agencies in the region, the evolving landscape of digital labour recruitment adds another layer to the challenge of labour migration governance, complicating the detection and prevention of human trafficking cases...

While technology exacerbates the issue, it also presents a solution. Partnerships with the private sector can deliver on a number of areas — by identifying how social media platforms might inadvertently facilitate human trafficking, providing digital literacy courses for social media users and fact checking and flagging misleading recruitment advertisements. Private sector partnerships can also explore regulatory measures to enhance the effectiveness of social media in preventing trafficking and study the role of algorithms in distributing trafficking-related content.

As a net consumer of technology and media, Southeast Asia cannot afford to be passive and not exercise its agency. ASEAN should hold social media platforms accountable in a way which protects privacy and freedom of expression, with efforts centred on a human rights response that prioritises the non-punishment and protection of victims. This will require regional cooperation to build the necessary capacity to identify, investigate and prevent human trafficking.