In an unprecedented move, this week YouTube and Facebook took a hardline stance against far-right conspiracy QAnon by committing to remove any group, page, or Instagram account openly identifying with the harmful movement. In recent months, QAnon rampantly spread disinformation about child trafficking to millions of Americans through social media and sparked hundreds of #SaveTheChildren rallies across the country with the aim of pushing a pro-Trump agenda.
Over the summer, thousands of maskless protestors in dozens of U.S. cities took to the streets, holding painted signs with grossly misguided statements and false statistics such as “Human trafficking is the real pandemic.”
The conspiracy claims that “deep state” Democrats, celebrities, and the media are running an international trafficking ring and plotting against President Trump and his supporters. As a result, ordinary Americans have become enraged about child trafficking, seemingly overnight. While Trump has claimed to make human trafficking a policy priority, in practice, his administration’s actions have raised a litany of serious human rights concerns, including locking migrant children in cages where several have died and cutting victim protection by rolling back “T” visas.
Political leadership is imperative to fighting child trafficking, and an intersectional, social justice approach is needed in order to effectively address the roots causes of the issue. The challenge in this present moment is for the public to redirect their efforts and engage the problem more carefully rather than spreading baseless conspiracies, which distract and divert valuable resources from legitimate efforts to stop trafficking.
Globally, human trafficking is a $150 billion dollar industry. It is a well-oiled machine, fueled by socio-economic inequality, class, race, and gender. In the United States, the majority of victims of trafficking are often homeless or runaway youth. Of the more than 23,500 endangered runaways reported last year, one in six were likely to be victims of child sex trafficking. Prevention of child trafficking in America requires boosting social services, strengthening education in low-income communities, and lobbying for healthcare reform to support those most at risk.
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[–] 26055448? ago
That's why the Democrats are so mad.