It was perhaps the most disgusting thing that happened in all of 2017.
Ads for literal human trafficking were allowed to run on Facebook.
Gangs used the platform to advertise to ordinary people a variety of services meant to transport people to places like Europe and the United States.
It is believed that most of the operation was run by the Gulf Cartel in Mexico.
Disgustingly, that particular gang currently makes more money trading, moving, and selling human beings than it does drugs.
Initially, Mark Zuckerberg and his team defended the ads on their platform by trying to make a distinction between people smuggling and human trafficking.
It's five years later, but they're FINALLY admitting that "people smuggling 'can be related and exhibit overlap' with human trafficking."
OBVIOUSLY.
Human trafficking is multi-faceted and global; it can affect anyone regardless of age, socioeconomic background, ethnicity, gender or location. It takes many forms, and any given trafficking situation can involve various stages of development. By the coercive nature of this abuse, victims cannot consent.
While we need to be careful not to conflate human trafficking and smuggling, they can be related and exhibit overlap. The United Nations defines human smuggling as the procurement or facilitation of illegal entry into a state across international borders. Without necessity for coercion or force, it may still result in the exploitation of vulnerable individuals who are trying to leave their country of origin, often in pursuit of a better life. Human smuggling is a crime against a state, relying on movement, and human trafficking is a crime against a person, relying on exploitation.
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