Explainer: Cybersex trafficking, the shocking consequences of ignoring a hacked account
Cybercriminals are hacking social media accounts and using them to coerce children, women, and men into creating pornographic content. Make sure you report whenever your account is hacked, and follow-up to ensure the matter is resolved. Otherwise, you may end in up jail.
What you need to know:
- Cybercriminals are hacking social media accounts and using them to coerce children, women, and men into creating pornographic content.
- If you suspect you've been a victim of cybersex trafficking or account hacking, it's crucial to preserve all potential evidence.
- Make sure you report the matter, and follow-up to ensure the matter is resolved.
Has your social media accounts been hacked, and you reset them after changing the passwords without reporting to the police?
In an era where our lives are increasingly intertwined with the digital world, a disturbing trend has emerged that highlights the critical importance of cybersecurity. Law enforcement officials are sounding the alarm about cybercriminals who hack social media accounts to engage in a heinous crime: cybersex trafficking.
This illegal activity involves coercing children, women, and men into creating pornographic content, which is then shared online for economic gain. The consequences for victims are devastating, and shockingly, even those whose accounts have been hacked without their knowledge could face severe legal repercussions.
Mueni Mutisya, Head of Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, warns, "Make sure you report whenever your accounts are hacked, and follow-up to ensure the matter is resolved. Otherwise, we will come for you when investigating cybersex trafficking."
Read also: Why Kenya leads in human trafficking
This stark message underscores the gravity of the situation. If your hacked account is used for these criminal activities, you could find yourself facing charges, even if you were unaware of what was happening.
To protect yourself from becoming an unwitting accomplice to these crimes, it's crucial to take proactive steps. First and foremost, if you suspect your account has been compromised, report it immediately to both the platform and law enforcement.
Regularly changing your passwords, using strong and unique combinations for each account, is another essential practice. Enabling two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security that can deter many hackers.
Additionally, be wary of suspicious links, as they may be phishing attempts designed to gain access to your accounts. Keeping your software and applications up to date is also vital, as updates often include patches for known security vulnerabilities.
If you find yourself a victim of cybersex trafficking or account hacking, preserving evidence is crucial. Mueni advises, "Protect all the evidence including screenshots, recordings, calls, messages and digital devices such as mobile phones and computers, whenever one suspects cybersex trafficking." She notes that in many cases, parents or guardians, overcome with anger and distress, destroy evidence. While this reaction is understandable, it can severely hinder investigations and make prosecutions more difficult.
Child pornography
The legal consequences for involvement in cybersex trafficking are severe. Under the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act (2010), offenders can face fines exceeding Sh30 million, a minimum of 30 years in prison, or even a life sentence. The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act (2018) is equally stringent, imposing a Sh20 million fine or 20 years in prison, or both, for publishing child pornography through a computer system.
The scope of this problem is significant, though precise statistics are hard to come by.
According to a 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report for Kenya by the US Department of State, the government investigated 111 cases in 2022 – 59 for sex trafficking, 10 for labour trafficking, and 42 for unspecified forms of trafficking. However, the report highlights a critical issue in data collection and analysis. The Kenyan government does not maintain a centralised law enforcement data collection system on trafficking crimes, hindering its ability to disaggregate national human trafficking statistics.
Read also: How Kenyan women are trafficked to Europe
More concerning is that the government does not differentiate between human trafficking cases and cases related to other crimes, such as child pornography, defilement, or sexual assault. This lack of distinction makes it extremely difficult to compare law enforcement data with prior years and to accurately assess the true extent of human trafficking in the country.
This data collection issue not only complicates efforts to track the prevalence of cybersex trafficking but also hampers the development of targeted strategies to combat it. Without clear, differentiated data, policymakers and law enforcement agencies may struggle to allocate resources effectively or to measure the impact of their interventions.
