The Global Center on Human Trafficking

Trafficking Misinformation

In a time where mis- and disinformation is shared widely and uncritically online it should not come as a surprise that the anti-trafficking field has become a target. Many rumors ‘float’ through social media platforms sharing warnings about random kidnappings of children from playgrounds, traffickers marking cars of potential victims, or the ability of traffickers to track the phone number of anyone who responded to a specific text message. Human Trafficking has also moved in the center of elaborate conspiracies such as Pizzagate and the Wayfair Conspiracy, both of which were prominent in the QAnon conspiracy universe. The reason these untruths or extreme exaggerations about human trafficking matter is that they affect public discourse and anti-trafficking policy, which impacts the ability of law enforcement and social service organization to identify and assist victims and survivors of this heinous crime.

Below please find a collection of articles regarding Trafficking Misinformation.

For questions about Trafficking Misinformation please reach out to: Dr. Daniela Peterka-Benton, Academic Director, Global Center on Human Trafficking & Associate Professor, Department of Justice Studies – peterkabentd@montclair.edu.

Human Trafficking Misinformation Resources

Benton, B., Peterka-Benton, D. (2023). Everything Old is Q Again:X Activity About #PizzaGate Increased 9501.5% After Musk Boosted the Conspiracy.

Benton, B., & Peterka-Benton, D. (2021). Truth as a Victim: The challenge of anti-trafficking education in the age of Q. Anti-Trafficking Review, (17), 113–131.

Peterka-Benton, D. (2023). Sound of Freedom: A summer Blockbuster Movie with an Edge.

Peterka-Benton, D., Benton, B. (2023). Will Idaho’s “Abortion Trafficking” Law Hinder Efforts to Prevent Human Trafficking?

Human Trafficking Misinformation Media Mentions