Machine Learning Hopes to Find Online Sex Trafficking Rings

[FrgMstr]

This is an extremely interesting use of Machine Learning. The eggheads at NY University Tandon School of Engineering and UC Berkeley have been putting together algorithms that analyze writing styles found in online sex ads and finding similarities in writing styles. They then go on to use online Bitcoin identifier points to make matches between those ads, the writers, and times of bitcoin deposits. All in hopes of finding online sex trafficking rings. I bet they find my slutty cousin "Rockin' Roxy" first, but it will cost them...a lot.


A team of university researchers has devised the first automated techniques to identify ads potentially tied to human trafficking rings and link them to public information from Bitcoin – the primary payment method for online sex ads.

The research team's approach relies on two novel machine learning algorithms. The first is rooted in stylometry, or the analysis of an individual's writing style to identify authorship. Stylometry can confirm authorship with high confidence, and in the case of online trafficking ads, allows researchers and police to identify cases in which separate advertisements for different individuals share a single author: a telltale sign of a trafficking ring. By automating stylometric analysis, the researchers discovered they could quickly identify groups of ads with a common author on Backpage, one of the most popular sites for online sex ads. (Since this research was conducted, the adult advertising section of Backpage was discontinued; however, the researchers noted that adult ads remain prevalent, now appearing in multiple sections of the site.)

After identifying groups of ads with a single author, the researchers tested an automated system that utilizes publicly available information from the Bitcoin mempool and blockchain — the ledgers that record pending and completed transactions. Because Backpage posts ads as soon as payment is received, the researchers compared the timestamp indicating submission of payment to the timestamp of the ads' appearance on Backpage. All Bitcoin users maintain accounts, or "wallets," and tracing payment of ads that have the same author to a unique wallet is a potential method for identifying ownership of the ads, and thus the individuals or groups involved in human trafficking.

 

[RogueTadhg]

Rockin Roxy?
a/s/l.

 

[JosiahBradley]

I knew PHD students had it rough, but this is a really advanced way to find a date.

 

[gigaxtreme1]

Gimme Roxy's number. I'll treat her good.

 

[FrgMstr]

Gimme Roxy's number. I'll treat her good.

You got cash?

 

[Dman014]

Rockin Roxy eh? Kyle did you just give out your drag name ?

 

[FrgMstr]

Rockin Roxy eh? Kyle did you just give out your drag name ?

That made me LOL for some reason.

 

[Shagittarius]

 

[Ur_Mom]

People find ways around the law, the law finds them again. Kind of a scary cat and mouse game. It gets to the point where if you're concerned about privacy, the only answer is: They already know.

Pretty smart way of finding the info, though. I wonder what the accuracy is and how detailed you could go for various transactions.

 

[geekebox]

Itll just be a matter of time before the criminals alter their behavior patterns to account for this. One easy way is using a different crypto coin that is more discrete and untraceable

 

[Dead Parrot]

Wonder how this will hold up in court? More then one established scientific method of identifying suspects has been proven bad after years of use. Thinking bite mark and fiber analysis as a couple. Even drug dogs are becoming suspect.

Guess the bad guys could employ their own AI to write ads and randomize the deposits.

With any luck, sexbots will cut demand for trafficked humans.