Human trafficking continues to evolve, and in today’s world, traffickers are using online tools in ways that make exploitation harder to see but no less real. From escort ads and fake social media profiles to artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images, technology is now part of the trafficking industry. But just as traffickers adapt, so too do researchers, advocates, and communities determined to stop exploitation and support survivors.
At CASH (Community Against Sexual Harm), we see these shifts up close. The women we walk alongside often describe how traffickers used phones, websites, or social media to control or advertise them. While the digital world can make exploitation easier, it can also give us new ways to detect trafficking, educate communities, and bring survivors into the light of justice.
This blog explores how trafficking looks in the digital age, the red flags to watch for, and an urgent new opportunity for survivors of online exploitation to receive compensation through the Backpage Remission Program.
The Digital Arms Race
The internet has always been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers connection, opportunity, and information. On the other, traffickers use it as a weapon.
Websites once filled with job postings, personals, or community ads have been exploited by traffickers. Escort ads on sites like Backpage and CityXGuide often hid signs of coercion. Victims were advertised without consent, and traffickers controlled the money. Social media platforms also became tools for recruiting, with traffickers posing as friends, romantic partners, or employers to gain trust.
The rise of AI has added another layer of risk. Traffickers now use AI-generated photos or text to make ads harder to detect. For example, they may alter an image to bypass filters or use AI-written descriptions that sound more “normal.” This creates enormous challenges for those working to track trafficking online.
Traffickers don’t just stick to one site. They move quickly between platforms, posting an ad on one site, deleting it, and reposting it elsewhere. This “cat-and-mouse” game makes it difficult for law enforcement and advocates to keep up. Survivors often describe how their images or ads would appear in multiple places at once, even when they had no control over them.
Researchers are developing multimodal detection systems, which means analyzing both images and text together to spot patterns of trafficking. These systems can detect when the same image is reused across different platforms or when certain words signal coercion. While promising, this work is in constant tension with traffickers’ ability to adapt.
There is another complication: technology used to fight trafficking can sometimes harm the very communities most at risk. Over-policing, racial bias in algorithms, and the misuse of surveillance tools raise serious concerns. While we need effective detection, we must also protect survivors’ dignity and privacy. The solution lies in careful, ethical use of technology; always centering the needs and safety of exploited people.
Recognizing the Red Flags
Even as traffickers embrace new tools, their methods of control remain consistent. That’s why education is so powerful. When communities know the red flags, they are better prepared to intervene and support survivors.
Here are some common signs CASH teaches through our trainings and outreach:
Withholding of Pay or Financial Control
A trafficker may take all the money a victim earns and give them little to nothing in return. Sometimes they provide only basic necessities; food, shelter, or clothing, while keeping control of all income. This financial dependency creates a cycle that makes it harder to leave.
Constant Monitoring and Surveillance
Many survivors describe being watched at all times. Traffickers may insist on knowing where they are, track their phones, or assign someone else to monitor them. Online, this can look like controlling passwords, restricting access to social media, or demanding constant check-ins.
Restricted Communication or Travel
Victims may not be allowed to speak to friends, family, or anyone outside the trafficker’s circle. Their movements may be limited, and they might need “permission” to go anywhere. Online, this restriction can appear as traffickers controlling accounts, deleting messages, or preventing victims from contacting help.
Emotional Abuse, Intimidation, or Manipulation
Traffickers often use psychological control. They may promise love or security, then use guilt, shame, or threats to maintain control. This emotional abuse can make victims feel trapped, even when physical escape seems possible.
Physical and Sexual Violence
Violence is one of the most visible, but also most damaging, forms of control. Survivors often share stories of beatings, threats with weapons, or sexual assault used to force compliance. And sometimes, the outcomes are lethal.
Vulnerability of Youth
Children between the ages of 12–16 are especially at risk, particularly those with high Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) scores. Experiences like abuse, neglect, or family instability can make youth more vulnerable to traffickers’ tactics. Recognizing these vulnerabilities is essential for prevention.
By learning these warning signs, communities can play an active role in disrupting trafficking. If you see something concerning, report it. Early awareness can change, and even save, lives.
Additionally, to help protect children from online exploitation, families and educators can turn to practical tools designed for youth. For younger children, the NetSmartz program from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children provides age-appropriate videos, activities, and lessons that teach kids how to stay safe online. For parents, teachers, and older youth, the Online Safety Resources Guide from SchoolSafety.gov offers detailed strategies to reduce risks, start important conversations, and build digital safety habits that last. These resources can be powerful tools in preventing exploitation before it begins.
A New Pathway for Survivors: The Backpage Remission Program
While the internet has fueled exploitation, it is also creating new opportunities for justice. On July 31, 2025, the Department of Justice announced a new remission process for survivors who were advertised for trafficking on Backpage.com or CityXGuide.
This process allows survivors to request compensation for the harms they experienced. Survivors can apply to receive payment for damages, including financial losses, medical costs, or emotional suffering. The deadline to submit a petition is February 2, 2026.
Why It Matters
Backpage was one of the most notorious online platforms for trafficking-related ads. For years, survivors were advertised and exploited there. The new remission program is an acknowledgment of that harm; and a step toward justice.
Support for Survivors
Filing a petition can feel overwhelming, especially for those already carrying trauma. That’s why the Backpage Survivor Remission Network, created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), connects survivors with law firms across the country. These lawyers provide help at no cost.
Survivors do not need an attorney to file, but having one can make the process easier. Attorneys can:
- Guide survivors through the process. They can explain what paperwork is required, what deadlines matter, and how to complete each step.
- Help document losses. Survivors may need to show financial costs, medical expenses, or other harms. Lawyers can help gather and organize this evidence.
- Estimate future needs. Many survivors face ongoing medical or mental health care. Attorneys can help include these future costs in the petition.
Urgency and Access
The most important detail is the deadline: February 2, 2026. This is a limited opportunity, and survivors who may be eligible are encouraged to act quickly.
If you or someone you know was advertised on Backpage or CityXGuide, visit the Backpage Survivor Remission Network website. There, survivors can fill out a simple form to be connected with a free lawyer.
No survivor should go through this process alone. Help is available; and it is free.
What You Can Do
Ending trafficking requires a united effort. Here are practical ways you can make a difference:
Learn the Signs
Take time to study the red flags of trafficking. Share this knowledge with your family, friends, workplaces, and schools. The more people who can recognize exploitation, the harder it is for traffickers to hide.
Support Survivors Through Awareness
Spread the word about the Backpage Remission Program. Many survivors may not know they are eligible or that free legal help is available. Sharing this information could change someone’s life.
Stay Informed About Online Trafficking
Talk about how traffickers use technology. Conversations in community groups, classrooms, and workplaces help demystify trafficking and make it harder for traffickers to operate in silence.
Build a Culture of Care
Survivors often carry trauma long after leaving a trafficker. By approaching these issues with empathy, not judgment, we create communities where survivors feel safe seeking support.
Closing
Human trafficking adapts with each new technology, but so do those working to end it. The rise of online platforms and AI has changed the landscape of exploitation, yet it has also opened the door to stronger detection and new pathways for justice.
By learning the signs, raising awareness, and sharing resources like the Backpage Remission Program, we can stand with survivors in meaningful ways. The deadline for petitions is fast approaching, but with community support, no survivor has to navigate it alone.
At CASH, we remain committed to supporting survivors with compassion, resources, and hope. Together, we can push back against exploitation in the digital age; and ensure survivors know they are seen, valued, and never alone.