Myanmar: Digital platforms "fuelling" human trafficking as victims recruited on social media, incl. WeChat, Facebook & Telegram; incl. co responses & cos non-responses
In July 2024, The Washington Post reported that digital platforms are “fueling” human trafficking from China, Thailand and Taiwan to Myanmar, where victims of trafficking are forced to work in illegal scam operations. Human rights groups allege victims are predominately recruited through social media apps, including Facebook (part of Meta), WeChat and Telegram.
There has been an extreme uptick in sophistication and reach of these recruitment networks.Jacob Sims, visiting expert on transnational crime at the United States Institute of Peace
The Washington Post interviewed seven people who were trafficked or misled into travelling to Myanmar after fraudulent job offers. One victim describes how he was recruited via WeChat after looking at WeChat work groups and coming across a fake offer for an acting job, after which he was trafficked to Myanmar. Upon arrival, the victims are forced to send scam messages using Instagram and Facebook accounts targeting people in Southeast Asia.
In October, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Meta, WeChat and Telegram to respond to the article, and to outline how they monitor and remove content leading to victims being trafficked into illegal scam operations in Myanmar. We also additionally asked Meta how it monitors and removes scam messages targeting people across Southeast Asia.
Meta’s response can be read in full below. Telegram and WeChat did not respond.